The Deal
by Lemurian-Girl
Summary: It was a deal, simple as that. Florina would help Sain woo a girl if he agreed to help her get over her fear of men. Sometimes, though, things don't go exactly according to plan...
1. Chapter 1

**The Deal**

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The soft dew of morning still hung onto the blades of grass when Florina walked through it, yawning and stretching her back out from the uncomfortable position she slept in. Life in Caelin had pampered her too much, and the army lifestyle did not suit her. Never did, and she would never get used to it, but she knew that would just have to live with it.

The other soldiers were just rousing themselves. It was late in the morning, though, and that was strange, considering that Eliwood and Mark usually had the group up well before the sun rose.

Matthew strode proudly past Florina and accidentally brushed past her shoulder. Florina immediately shrunk back in reflex. Matthew barely gave her any notice, though, especially after Hector chased him down, nearly knocking the docile pegasus knight over in the process.

"Matthew, did you have any part in this?" Hector hissed at him. "Eliwood is out cold, and Mark won't wake." A smirk danced upon Matthew's lips.

"I wouldn't lie to you, my lord," he said. "So I'll let you in on a little secret." He lowered his voice a tiny bit, so that everyone would think it was a secret but in reality, they would hear the whole thing. "I stole some sleeping tonic from Merlinus and slipped it into their evening meal. They'll be out cold for another few hours."

"You sure about that?" Hector questioned. Matthew nodded confidently, and Hector let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank dear Elimine. It's about time we took a break. We've running all about through these mountains and no sign of the damned castle! The troops are worn down and-"

"And you just wanted to sleep in?" the thief teased. The rest of their conversation drifted away as they walked away, but a scowl was present on Hector's face. Florina brushed herself off and paused for a moment to recollect her thoughts.

Oh yes! She had wanted to find Fiora and borrow some snacks for Huey. Merlinus usually stored their food for them, but Fiora always liked to keep a few treats stuck in her bag as she flew. She started up on her way again, head bowed as she walked briskly through the camp. Some of the girls waved hello, and Florina would always murmur a greeting back to them. But she never responded to any of the men. If they ever cared enough to say something to her, that is.

Sure, over the last year, her general fear of men had lessened. Florina would not cower in the company of Kent or Wil any longer; they were her comrades, and she had grown used to them. She never minded them anymore, never really thought of them as men. Just…people. She had even become more accustomed to Sain's presence, though his constant flirts still made her nervous.

"Ah, beautiful Florina." Speak of the Devil. "How exquisite you look this morning!" Sain smiled at her, and she took an anxious step back. She knew she looked anything but exquisite. Her clothes were stained and dirty; her hair was a disheveled web of snarls and knots. Her delicate, fair skin was burned, and there were aging bags under her eyes. Not exactly the looks of a Lady.

"Mm, hello Sain," she mumbled under her breath. She desperately thought of an excuse to get away.

"May I enjoy your presence on a walk?" he asked her, holding his hand out. Florina slumped away from it. "Please, my enchanting little knight? There is a matter I wish to discuss with you." Hesitantly, Florina nodded her head. She bit her lip. Sain's hand was still outstretched, but she did not dare take it into her own. After a moment, he took the hint and straightened out.

"Where are we going?" Florina asked him as they ambled out of the encampment.

"Away," He told her. "The camp is so suffocating. I wish for a bit of fresh air." Florina did not respond. They left the mass of tents and soldiers behind them, hiking over the rough terrain of the Bern landscape. It was cooler up here, and the mountains reminded Florina of home in Ilia.

Sain settled himself under a tree by a small brook. Florina stood for a second before slowly sitting down by his side. He stared at the rushing water for a moment before looking over at Florina, a wistful expression on his face. His attention to her made her squirm a little, and he when realized that, he looked away again.

"I'm sick of it all," he muttered to himself. Florina was not sure what he was talking about. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it as Sain spoke again. "I love women, don't get me wrong, but I'm tired of them not paying a moment's notice to me unless they are calling me a nuisance." Florina did not want to point out that his antics often were a nuisance; so, she let him babble on. "There's no respect for a man anymore," he continued to muse to himself. "And I have thought over my actions, and I have decided that I do just want a love. One true love. I never set out to have hoards of women after me. Just wanted to find the girl that was meant for me, but apparently, my ways of sweeping a girl off her feet is much different than theirs."

"Well…" Florina was at a loss for words. "Well, um…perhaps you just really need to speak to a girl. Find out how to," she hesitated. "Woo her, and then proceed." Sain let out a laugh.

"Sure," he said sharply, and Florina felt as if he were laughing at her. "No offense, Florina, but like I said, no girls pay me any attention these days unless I do spout words of continuing flattery, and then it's just to scold me. I like flirting, yes, but I'm tired of people just seeing me for that. I have other qualities, you know, but I have a reputation now, and that's all anyone cares about." Sain's tone took a spiteful turn, one Florina had never heard in the light-hearted knight before.

"M-maybe I-I could help you," Florina stuttered. The words left her lips before she could think over them, a brash move for her. She immediately squeezed her mouth shut and turned away, suddenly conscious of Sain's eyes on her once more.

"Excuse me?" he asked incredulously. Florina repeated herself, this time taking several deep breaths before speaking and saying the words in a steadier voice. Neither said anything for a moment. Florina started biting her lip again, unable to gauge Sain's reaction. Finally, he spoke once more.

"Why do you want to help me?" He asked.

"Why did you bring me here if you didn't want me to help?" Florina countered. Sain smiled.

"You speak for me when I cannot do so myself," He said. "Timid little Florina, if you save my soul this one time, however will I repay you?"

"Repay me?" She squeaked.

"Well, yes," Sain said. "You are doing me a great favor. I owe you something, something splendid. Just ask for it!" Florina thought over it. What in Elibe could she ask for? There was no material possession she wanted, and nothing else came to mind. Except…

"Sain," She said. "I-If I help you find a woman and successfully woo her, t-then you." She faltered. "Y-You must help me get over my fear of men." His grin stretched wider.

"Why of course, Florina!" he exclaimed. "We have a deal!" He held out his hand once more. Shakily, Florina slipped her small hand into his. The warmth of his palm enclosed over hers as he shook her hand, causing a little jolt in her heart.

"Yes Sain, we have a deal."

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Author's Note: Reviews are always appreciated. As always, I love constructive crit.

7/6/06: Revised! (Just fixing typos and grammatical errors really. Nothing major. The entire story will undergo such revisions, and don't worry, they will not interfere with the next chapter.)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

Author's Note: Wow, I consider this a productive day. It's Friday, I finished all my homework and updated two stories. And I thank everyone who reviewed for the overwhelming support. Without further ado, enjoy!

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The wind rushed through her orchid locks as she flew high in the air on Huey. A day had gone by since she made the deal with Sain, and already, she was regretting her decision. How could she have shook hands on that? It was completely out of her nature, and now, she would have no excuse when trying to run and hide from Sain. She could not back out; she did not courage enough to do so. 

A little tiny voice in the back of her head was screaming out that this was a good idea. She did need to get over fear sometime. She clutched tighter to Huey's mane as they scouted out for any enemies for the supposed castle they were looking for. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the flapping wings of another pegasus knight. She turned her head slightly to confirm the fact that it was indeed Fiora. She smiled to herself.

"Florina!" Fiora called out, part of her voice lost in the rushing air. Florina whispered a few words to Huey to have him slow his wing beats to a steady glide. "Have you seen anything yet?" Florina shook her head.

"Not much," She said. "I caught a catch of another black speck to the north, but it could've been a bird just as well as a wyvern."

"No, it probably is a wyvern," Fiora said. "Lady Lyndis said that all tracks point north. It's our best bet." She turned her pegasus away and yelled out one last thing to Florina. "You should check in with Mark. He hasn't heard word from you in hours."

"O-ok," She gulped back. "I'll tell him my findings myself then."

"That would be best." Fiora flew away, soaring towards the north. Florina directed Huey downwards, being sure to stay up amongst the clouds but low enough to see the marching army. She took breaths to calm herself. She did not want to admit that was nervous about speaking to Mark directly. He was a friendly man. Why should she worry?

Because he was a man, and all men seemed to be the same, as Farina put it. She closed her eyes, a memory lingering in the back of her head. Shouting and fighting. The sound of breaking glass. Warm arms surrounding her. Someone's voice- Fiora's maybe? - speaking reassuringly into her ear.

Florina blocked it out as she spotted the troops.

---

"Florina, there you are!" Mark exclaimed. He rushed over to her. "Did you see anything?" Florina hesitated for a moment, her tongue too numb to speak. Finally, she was able to form her mouth around the words.

"There…um, was a wyvern," She mumbled very quietly. Mark had to strain his ears to hear her. "…um, it…north. It was in the north." It was painful to say the words. Mark gave a sympathetic smile at her; it seemed to be one reserved for whenever he spoke to the knight.

"Thank you," He said. Florina turned quickly to escape. She was about to remount her pegasus when Sain stopped, his coy voice freezing her in position.

"If you want me to uphold my end of the bargain, you're going to have to try harder than that," He commented slyly. Florina dropped down again and forced herself to face Sain. "There are some men I would understand your fear of them, but Mark wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I'm no fly," Florina mumbled to herself. "I have no immunity."

"Excuse me?" She thanked Elimine that Sain did not catch that. Instead, she brought herself to stare him straight in the eye. It was the first time she had ever really looked him straight in his eyes. Sure, she knew they were brown, but it was a different thing entirely. It was a step for her, even if Sain would never understand that.

The last time she stared a man straight in the eye, she was beaten for it.

"I…" Now she was losing her voice just when she had garnered enough bravery to stand up. "I…have to go back." It was the best she could do. Sain nodded.

"Scouting, eh?" He said. She nodded and began to bite her lip. Sain reached out and cupped her face with his hand. "Don't do that." He told her softly. "It shows your insecurity, your anxiety." Florina released her lower lip. "See, I'm already helping you. Besides, I already talked with Mark. He said that you could stay with the lower units and keep an eye out for immediate threats. Heath and Fiora are already manning the skies. We're supposed to scout the lower area."

"We?" Florina trembled. "As in-"

"Well, if there were any archers, you'd be in quite a pickle, wouldn't you?" He smiled. "We'll work as a team. Besides, this would be a great moment for some quality time."

"Huh?"

"Well, I can't help you very much if you're scared of me too," He remarked. "You're going to have to learn to be comfortable around me, and in order to do that, we'll have to get to know each other." He patted his horses neck. "Shall we?" Florina did not respond; she just followed Sain out. Florina decided to let Huey's wings rest; so, she trotted on the ground next to Sain.

It was obvious that Sain did not intend to scout the lower areas. He was carefree as they rode in silence. At one time, he began humming to himself. Occasionally, he would look over at Florina, but she just ignored him.

"Well, this won't do," He stated. "As I said before, we need to learn more about each other. Like…you have another sister, right? What's her name?"

"Um, Farina." Florina told him. "She's…uh, the middle child."

"And you're the youngest?" Florina let out a long breath.

"Unfortunately, yes," She mumbled to herself. Sain heard her and laughed.

"I had a younger brother," He revealed to her. Florina was surprised by this. She would have thought that if Sain had siblings, she would know about it. She had seen his mother a few times; she often liked to visit Caelin. "He hated the position of the youngest. Always tried to prove himself by being better than me. Wanted to become a scholar, actually."

"You had a brother?"

"Yeah."

"What happened to him?" Florina questioned. Sain's face fell. He attempted to feign a smile, but he was a bad actor.

"How'd-"

"You used it in past tense," Florina told him. Her cheeks burned up. Oh great, it was probably just another stupid mistake. Nothing happened to his brother. He was probably earning great fame as a scholar and-

"He died," Sain mumbled in a small voice. "Three years ago. He was studying with the monks at a seminary when the sweating sickness swept through a local village. Thinking he could heal it with his knowledge of medicines, he soon caught it himself." The only sounds that proceeded this were the chirping of birds and the crush of grass under hooves. It was so sad the way he said. The bereaved tone of his voice almost made Florina cry.

"I'm sorry," She murmured.

"Don't be. Everyone passes on, and it was out of our control." An unnatural grin was pressed heavily on his lips. "The important thing is that he died trying to help others, and he has an eternal place in Elysium with all of Elimine's servants."

"Still, it must be terrible to lose a sibling," Florina stammered. "If I lost Fiora or Farina," Her voice cracked. "I don't know what I'd do. They've always been there for me. Even when-" She stopped suddenly.

"When what?"

"Nothing. It's nothing."

"Florina, if something is bothering you, then-" He sighed and dropped it. "I'm not going to force it out of you. I just want you to trust me. Is that too much to ask?" She paused then dug her heels into Huey and drove him up into the air, leaving a bewildered Sain calling up to her from the ground.

---

"The plan is tomorrow we'll sneak into the castle," Mark announced to the army. "Only a small number will be going in. Unless, you have been designated to come along, you will stay in camp until we call for you. Heath will have a perch in the mountains and will call for you if assistance is needed."

"Why Heath?" Someone called out.

"Because he can blend in with the other Bern soldiers and come here the quickest. Any more questions?" A low murmur passed between the fighters as the crowd dispersed. Florina dodged away, trying to avoid Sain. She couldn't confront him now. Not after what she did. Luckily, she made it to her tent in the night's darkness without facing him.

She slipped inside and gasped. Sain was there waiting for her, and he looked pissed.

His arms were crossed low against his chest, and his eyes were narrowed, giving them a stern look. Florina froze in her spot, quivering as he approached her. His arm took her hand in his own, gentle at first, but he clutched onto it, so she could not run away.

"You know what your problem is Florina?" He hissed in a low voice. "Everyone babies you. Everyone coddles you. I went along with it. Not anymore. I intend to keep my promise, and I will do anything to accomplish that. I will treat as an adult. You are still young, but you are a woman, and I will treat you as such. You understand?" Sain never took such a grave tone with anyone, not even the knights he commanded in Caelin. Florina was seeing so many new faces of Sain that it scared her. "Do. You. Understand?"

"Yes," Florina whispered.

"Good," He let go of her, dropping her hand at her side. It felt strangely cold without Sain's there to warm it; so, she rubbed it to regain it. "Goodnight Florina." Sain pushed past her, but this time, it was Florina to reach out. She stretched out her hand and brushed her fingers against his. This action stopped him as he was about to exit through the tent flap.

"You have to promise me one thing, though," She told him. "What I was about to tell you earlier, you must never force me to speak of it. Never. Nor will you try to bring it up with my sister because I assure you, Sain, you will get the same reaction."

"If it is a personal family matter, then you have my word that I will not pry," He said. Then, with the sweep of the flap, he left.

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Author's Note: A litle choppy, but it sets future events up. Now Review! No reviews means no updates! Lemurian-Girl, signing off.  



	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem.

Author's Note: If you've read my profile, you probably know I haven't had electricity since my last update. If you're smart, you'll probably guess why. Well, here it is people. I got it back today, and I wrote the next chapter in commemoration. Enjoy!

* * *

The sharp clang of metal tangling with metal rang in the mountain range. The enemy horse snorted as the Bern cavalier pulled back on the reigns, forcing him back. Florina flew high above him, javelin in hand. Swooping low enough to hurl it but still far out of the enemy's range, she aimed the tip carefully. So much could go wrong when throwing such a weapon, and it was crucial that she hit him in just the right spot. 

It flew through the air like a silent missile. It would have hit the steed's neck, had the rider not veered so sharply to the left that the creature almost fell over. Instead, it landed on a soft patch of grass, jutting out. Now Florina was about weaponless. Lyn had promised to teach her how to wield swords, but the lessons had been rare, and Florina was not yet ready to use them on the battlefield.

Her enemy knew what that in order to retrieve her lance, she would have to fly close, and that would be when he made his move. She realized this as well. She would just have to be faster.

Forcing Huey towards him, she leaned over and grabbed the javelin, which was sticking out of the earth at a crooked angle. Her pegasus then turned up, fleeing from her enemy until she could make another safe shot, but she was not quick enough. She did not see it, but she knew that his own lance jabbed into the leg of her precious Huey.

Huey went crazy, kicking his legs wildly. He nearly lost his balance in the air, but Florina steadied him. He calmed down mostly, but with one final kick of his wounded leg, his hoof connected sharply with the enemy's jaw, resulting in a sickening crunch. It did not push him off his horse, but it gave Florina the opportunity she needed to attack him. With a single hit, she stabbed him in the stomach, causing him to slip off his horse, and the steed ran off without him.

With a sigh, Florina and Huey drifted towards the ground. The pegasus immediately began licking it's wound as Florina slid off his back. She searched her bag for a vulnerary, but to her dismay, she found that she forgot to stock up before the battle.

To the north, she could the high screeches of wyvern riders, and she prayed to Elimine that they would not find her here. For the most part, the battle seemed to settle down, but there were still enemies afoot, and all of her comrades were engaged in fierce combat.

"Priscilla," Florina croaked, trying to catch the attention of the sole healer on duty this day. Her throat was dry and scratchy, but her pegasus was wounded and needed care soon, or he might be crippled for life, as Florina feared. The red-haired beauty looked towards her, and she began to ride over, when a familiar cry caught her ears. Florina recognized the groan as Kent. She looked over to see him collapse as an ominous wyvern flew off. Priscilla changed course and quickly rode to his aid.

Florina tried to see if Kent would be alright, but a shadow loomed over her instead. She looked up at a towering brute, axe in hand, giving her a twisted grin.

"Ain't you a purty one," He cooed. "Pity I got to gut you." Florina whimpered, and she reached over for her javelin. She could fight on foot if necessary. He laughed at the sight of her defensive position, and he obviously noticed her fear. "Yep, I'm going to gut you like a fish. Ooh, you won't be so purty no more. You'd-" His eyes widened and fell to him knees as Sain stood over him, a sword in hand. Blood gushed out of a back wound.

"Fool, that was almost too easy," Sain mused. The bandit tried to fight back. He grasped the hand of his axe and swung blindly at Sain, who had his horse step calmly aside before finishing the job.

"Huey…he needs a…a-a," Florina was at a loss for words. Sain seemed to understand as he gave her his own vulnerary. She nodded her thanks and at once began to apply the medicine. Most people assumed that vulnerarys were simply for human use, but riders of all beasts had discovered they worked well for animals as well.

"Vaida fled," Hector's voice roared over the sounds of the battle. "We have been victorious!" The few remaining soldiers looked unconvinced until a wyvern knight flew over the mountains to tell them so. Mark came up and told the fighters to let them go.

"We can't afford to have anymore injuries," He panted. "Priscilla, get Kent back to camp as fast as possible. Assemble the other healers. Everyone else use vulnerarys for the time being. There seem to be no other major injuries, correct?" The weary soldiers nodded. Priscilla attempted to lift the unconscious Kent onto her mare while Marcus led the horse away, but she was not strong enough.

"Ah, I should go help the beautious maiden, should I not?" Sain declared. "Kent is my best friend, and she is a gorgeous girl." He looked down at Florina.

"Yeah…don't, um, compliment her, though," Florina said, giving him his first piece of advice.

"Why not?" Sain asked.

"Well…er, you see," Florina searched around for just the right words. "She'd…admire it more if you were, uh, trying to help your friend more than hit on her." A look of understanding dawned on his face.

"I see," He smiled and trotted towards the ailing damsel. Florina watched him go before walking alongside Huey as he limped back. She could tell that his injury would heal; Sain came in the knick of time. It would hurt him to walk for a while, but at the moment, Florina guessed he was much more tired from flying so much.

Upon entering camp, Florina was nearly attacked by a very worried Fiora.

"You were supposed to be on watch duty, not a full scale battle," Fiora gasped as she saw Huey's leg. "Are you alright? Huey looks awful. You should get one of the healers to take care of it. Except they're busy. I heard them come into camp fussing over someone. I prayed it wasn't you."

"I'm a knight; I can do this, Fiora," Florina protested. Fiora nodded and sighed.

"I know, it's just…old habits are hard to break," She said. "So what happened out there?"

"Well, Kent sustained a serious injury bu-"

"What? Is that who the healers were taking care of? What happened? Is he going to die?" Fiora, the classic worrywart, started rambling on a completely new series of inquiries to his health, barely giving Florina a moment to answer.

"I-I think it was a wyvern rider," She explained, cutting Fiora off. It was a rare moment when Fiora was concerned about someone in the same manner she worried over Florina. "I-it came up, um, behind maybe?" Fiora turned her head away, making it difficult for Florina to judge her expression. Not that she was any good at that anyways. "Maybe, er, maybe you should go, and, um, see, or uh, check on him," Florina suggested.

"That's a good idea," Fiora admitted and rushed off without another word towards the healer's tent. Sain came from the same direction, at a slower and more casual pace. An amused smile hinted at the corners of his mouth as he watched Fiora run past him.

"So, um, h-how bad is it?" Florina ventured to ask.

"Hm? Oh, it's a bad wound to his abdominal area, but with all that magic they're expending on him, he should pull through," Sain said. "It's nice how we all pull together to save one life, eh?" Florina pressed a smile on her lips, but she did not respond. After a still moment, she turned to leave, but Sain clamped a hand down on her shoulder. Her pulse immediately quickened from the contact. Sain was a still a man, no matter what their contract was.

"Y-yeah?"

"I bit back every flattering comment in store, and Priscilla took me seriously," He told her. "You know, a while back, she was coming on to me until someone told her some story about how I pay that kind of attention to every lady, and to an extent, I suppose it's true. My curse, you could say. But today she looked at me seriously for the first time since she heard that."

"Um," She attempted to weasel her way out of his grasp. He let go and stepped away.

"I'm just saying thank you," He said.

"You-you're welcome," She squeaked.

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Author's Note: Thank you everyone who reviewed! Keep it up people! (And try living a week under a boil water order with no stove to boil water on. It's so hard!)  



	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem

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"Now, attack me!" Florina charged at Lyn, a wooden sword raised high above her head. Lyn prepared her stance, but when Florina's reckless arm swung at her, she stepped out of the way. "No, Florina…don't aim for my head!" She said with a small laugh. Florina stopped and sighed. She threw the sword aside.

"Sorry," She murmured. "I- perhaps I- I just can't do it."

"What kind of attitude is that?" Lyn asked. "Don't give up, ever. Just try again. Remember, a sword is not like a lance; it is not meant for long distance attacks. Instead, it is for close-range combat. It's harder to attack soldiers while on horseback, but once you get the hang of it on foot, I'm sure it will come naturally on Huey." Florina hung her head. She did not quite agree with Lyn. Her friend was too confident in her.

"Lady Lyndis!" Sain ran up, panting heavily. "Lord Eliwood and Lord Hector have summoned you. They said it is of the utmost importance." Lyn nodded and dropped her practice sword.

"Sorry Florina," She smiled apologetically. "I guess I won't be able to continue the lessons today."

"That's, um, fine." Florina shook her head to confirm it. Without another word, Lyn jogged off, leaving Sain and Florina alone. Sain, of course, was watching Lyn run off.

"She is quite a beauty," He said wistfully, then snuck a mischievous grin towards Florina. "And, ah! What is this here? Were you sparring with Lady Lyndis?" Florina just stared for a moment before realizing he asked her a question.

"Oh!" She squeaked. "No, she was, uh…she was teaching me to, um, fight, well, use a sword."

"A sword? I didn't know an orchid such as you were interested in sword fighting," He said. In her mind, Florina was thinking that what he just said was an outrageous claim; she was a knight after all. She could wield lances with ease, and they were no feminine tool. Lyn fought with swords. Isadora used both blades and axes. Even Fiora was picking up a little on it. Why did Sain seem so surprised?

Then again, the answer to it did not shock her. Sain was just Sain, his normal flirtatious self. He could never turn down a chance to spew flattering words towards a pretty lady…or any lady, as Florina did not consider herself very pretty.

"Are you ok, Florina?" Sain asked her, bowing his head down a little to gain eye contact. She was shorter, and as a result, it made it quite difficult to gain a straight expression out of her, especially when she kept turning her head away.

"Hm? Oh, um, er, yeah," She fumbled.

"Well, since Lady Lyndis had to depart us so soon, perhaps you would not mind I took control of her lessons for the time being?" His proposal shocked her. She backed away a little nervously. She tried shaking her head no, but before she give any sort of response, handed her the wooden sword before retrieving the other for himself and declaring, "Yes, yes. A good spar is what we need."

"But I can't-"

"Granted you can't fight with a sword yet, but we can improve upon that," He cut her off once more. "Now let me see what you can do." He made a broad sweep with his hands. "Please, hit me with everything you got." Florina clumsily grasped the hilt and ran towards in the same fashion that she had approached Lyn in earlier. Sain tsked. He stopped her before she reached him.

"No, no," He said softly. He reached over and laid his hands over Florina's on the handle. She trembled for a moment, not quite sure what he was doing. His hands shifted slightly, changing Florina's position with her sword. "There you go. It should be much less awkward now."

She raised the sword and attempted to slash at him, but once more, he stopped her. He went behind her and held her arms this time. She was not sure if he could feel the anxiety rushing through her veins, but it scared her. She was getting used to Sain's presence now but having him hold her was a different matter entirely.

"Stand like this," He stepped back and showed her his pose. "I know it won't serve much use on horseback, but it can come in handy. If you happen upon another situation, like the other day, where you are forced to fight on foot, blades dominate over spears." She tried to imitate his stance, and she could imagine herself looking like a loon with a large, pointed stick. He placed his hands on her arms once more and guided them down so the sword descended down.

"When you strike, you'll want to do it like this," He instructed her. He was speaking in her ear. The words echoed in her head along with the throbbing of her heart. The only time anyone had gotten this close to her before was when her sisters hugged her. That was all, and now some man- no, not some man, Sain- had placed his arms around her as if he too were hugging her." Watch for your enemies' weakest angle. You'll want to strike them there."

"O-o-ok," She forced it out. She had been silent for way too long. She did not want him to think that she was scared or something. However, her word only seemed to confirm it for him.

"Don't be afraid," He said.

"I-I'm not afraid," She stammered. "I-I've fought hundreds of, er, well battles and-"

"That's not what I'm talking about," He said with a chuckle. "And you know it. You're going to have to learn to be comfortable with me, Florina, whether you like it or not. I intend to keep my end of the bargain, and if you can get over your fear of me, you can get over your fear of any man."

"Why…why do you say that?"

"Because Florina," He explained in a lighter tone. "Apparently, I'm the scariest of all the men, as Dame Isadora put it. The biggest rouge among scoundrels and whatnot. I can understand that I don't quite live as the gentleman as Lord Eliwood and Kent do, but Bartre! I can't possibly be scarier than that man." Florina giggled a little, and a sly thought slithered into her head. A bold statement, witty even. But could she say it? The moment had passed, but nevertheless, Florina passed a stage in her life when she uttered the next words.

"Bartre is kind of cute," She said. The words came out a high squeak, but they attained the desired result.

"WHAT!" Sain leapt back and Florina collapsed into a fit of laughter. After recovery from the shock, Sain gave a snicker himself. Florina was still hysterical. Her sides were beginning to ache from the lack of oxygen, but the scene kept on replaying in her mind.

"G-got you," She managed to choke out.

"You are quite the kidder, Florina," He said, with a wily smile on his lips. "Quite the kidder indeed." She stopped giggling and stared at him. There was a suspicious look on his face, the way he seemed so smug even though the joke was on him.

"Wh-what are planning?" She asked him.

"But if you indeed think that way about Bartre." He said. "Why don't I just go and tell exactly how you feel." Florina's eyes widened, and she froze in her spot. The merriment was gone, and now, she was already feeling the embarrassment. She watched Sain strut off before rushing and tackling him. A girl of her size would not usually take him down, but her assault had surprised him, and he tripped over his own two feet. He took her down with him, with her pinning him down on the grass.

"No," Was the only word Florina was able to say.

"No? Well, Florina, you could stay here and convince me not to tell Bartre dearest, but you are forgetting we are quite close to camp, and at any time, someone could come out and see us in this compromising position." Sain had her here. She rolled off him, quivering slightly. Sain sat up and rubbed his neck.

"Please don't," She murmured. Sain noticed her snivel and cupped her hand in his palm. She shook it off, and he smiled sympathetically.

"My dearest Florina, I would never," He assured her, standing and offering her his hand. She accepted it and stood, brushing the skirt of her dress free of grass and soil. "You are far too cute to humiliate in this fashion." As they walked back to camp, only one thing was racing through Florina's mind. It was strange because such compliments had never affected her before, but for some reason, she felt like Sain meant it.

He had just called her cute.

----

Author's Note: I liked this chapter. Not the best written, but you have to admit, this scene was adorable. Farina is going to come in next chapter, but remember, no reviews means no updates. This is Lemurian-Girl, signing off.


	5. Chapter 5

"So wait, you're saying that you can't help me flatter someone until I tell you who I have my eye on?" Sain exclaimed incredulously. Florina nodded. "But…but…how do I choose?" Florina smiled to herself at the exasperated and flustered expression on Sain's face.

"Who do, uh, you like the most?" She asked him. He thought this over for a few seconds, his brow furrowing in deep concentration.

"They're all really pretty and-" Florina placed a shaking hand on his arm, a sign of the improvement of their relationship. He looked at her like a child who could not choose between the red and green lollypops and, frankly, just wanted both.

"Think beyond looks," She advised him. He looked away for a split moment before returning her gaze to her. He opened to say something, then changed his mind and shut it. "Well?"

"I don't know any of them beyond looks," He admitted sheepishly. "But you do! Tell me who I should go for." Florina shook her head.

"I-it's not that easy," She said. "You c-can't just, oh, choose, no… You can't just pick a girl, well, out of the, um, crowds and say you want to love her. That's a personal decision." It was hard for her to explain. In a way, she did not even understand why she was explaining this to him. She had no experience in the matter. All she knew were of the old cliches and fairy tales.

"No, I meant perhaps you could tell me a bit about each of them," He said. "Most of them won't even let me get to know them on a comrade basis."

"You don't, er, know about a-any of the w-women?" She said. He shook his head.

"Only you," He mumbled. He crossed his arms across his chest and stared down at the ground. "Maybe this isn't a good idea. My curse has doomed me to eternal loneliness." Before Florina could interject with a kindly word, Hector's booming voice echoed across the camp, summoning all the soldiers to his side.

"Here's the plan," Mark announced once almost the entire had gathered around him a large mob. "There are several ballistas up ahead. No flyers that means. We have a good feeling that we'll be attack. Lord Hector, Lord Eliwood and Lady Lyn will go up ahead with selected troops while the rest of you protect and maintain camp back here." Mark gave the duty of broadcasting the troops that would ride. With his voice projecting in every corner of the surrounding mile, there was no doubt that a soldier would miss it should his name be called.

Florina slipped away. No flyers meant she was not on duty today; she did not need to stick around in the throng of people listening for their name. Fiora joined up with her, her typical small, gracious smile on her lips. She seemed to know something, yet she was waiting for just the right time to bring the matter up.

"So…you and Sain have been spending a lot of time together lately," She introduced the topic casually. Florina tripped over her feet but regained her balance. The way her sister said it, it was as if she was suggesting…oh no, Fiora couldn't mean _that! _

"Um…h-he's n-not that b-bad of a, er, man once you, uh, get to know him," She stuttered.

"I never said he wasn't," Fiora defended her claim. "I…I'm just surprised…and pleased that you have grown up. You were once so scared of men, and now you've befriended a man that would have otherwise been at the top of your danger list."

"Well, actually…Fiora…I'm still kinda, well, scared of most men," She confessed.

"But Flor-"

"I know! Sain…he has, um, a reputation," She said. "He flirts and he flatters and he sweet talks every girl." She felt herself rise to a little bit of hysteria. "But…but…but…" Then just like that, she was at a loss for words again. Fiora slung one protective arm around Florina's slim shoulders.

"Florina, it's not a bad thing," Fiora assured her. "Kent has told me the same. He might be a little chivalrous, but overall, he has a good heart. I was just a little shocked to see you hanging around him and being so friendly with him. You don't close up so much around him as you do with other men and even the other women the company. It's kind of like the way you converse with your friends back in Ilia."

"He is my friend," Florina whispered very quietly.

"Just out of curiosity though, is there any particular reason for this sudden change?"

"N-no!" Florina squeaked.

"Just asking."

---

As it turned out, Sain was selected to accompany the Hector. Since Kent was still healing, Lyn needed a good paladin to back her up. Florina spent the day with Fiora, tidying up the camp and preparing to pack it up at a moment's notice. After a light lunch prepared by Rebecca, who turned the meager vittles into a satisfying meal, Florina briskly patrolled the perimeter of the encampment.

While the Lords and Mark were away, either one of the Ostian or Pheraen knights were put in charge. This time it was Isadora, who nodded a slight gesture of acknowledgement as she strolled by. The same grin was on her face as she watched Florina. The pegasus knight felt her face grow hot. Could she, too, have noticed the growing friendship between Sain and her?

She tried to shrug it off. Nothing was going on between them. She should just let them think what they want, but Florina was never good at that. She was a very insecure girl, and she always cared what people thought of her. Her reputation of a timid little fighter bothered, and if anything, it made her retreat further into the comforting shadows of her soul.

By late afternoon, weary figures emerged over the hill and towards the camp. The soldiers were back, and they were victorious. It had been a long, tedious fight against Pascal, as Lord Eliwood soon revealed to the army. Florina looked around for Sain, but he was nowhere in sight. He couldn't be dead; Eliwood had just said there were no casualties. Maybe he was injured, or perhaps it was just that she was too short to peer over the heads of her allies to pick him out from the crowd.

She finally caught sight of the setting sun reflecting off green armor. She pushed her way past Wil and Lowen to reach her friend. She wished she could tell everyone that they were just that, but her denials would most likely provoke more rumors and suspicious.

Indeed, there was Sain. He was chatting with a tall, pale girl with short dark blue hair. Florina's eye bulged at the sight. The girl laughed; it was a very familiar, boastful snicker.

"F-F-Farina!" Florina cried out, half in joy and half in shock. Farina turned and beamed at Florina, opening her arms wide to invite a warm hug. Florina rushed into them and squeezed her sister tightly.

"Hey," She greeted. "Look at you! You've grown." Florina doubted it, but she made no comment on it. "Sir Sain here was telling me that you were fighting in this army." She held Florina out at arm's length to examine her more closely. "But I figured out my own anyways after I heard Lady Lyndis was here."

"Fiora is here too," Florina told her.

"Yeah, I heard," She dismissed it off quickly. "I guess I better go find her and tell her I've joined." She then close to Florina and whispered so that only she could hear. "Twenty thousand gold! Lord Hector's is made me a very profitable deal!" Florina shook her head; Farina had not changed one bit since she last saw her.

"She's interesting," Sain said with a smirk after Farina was out of earshot. Florina gaped at him.

"You c-can't p-possibly-" He laughed. Florina did not know whether to take that as a good sign or a mark that he was making fun of her.

"Well, it's nice she talks to me since she is unaware of my reputation," He said, another cryptic remark. Was he saying it because it was true that it was a relief to have another female besides Florina speak to him or did he really think that Farina was nice? There were few people that truly thought of her that way, but Florina knew that her sister had a good heart where it counted. Money just got in the way sometimes- well, alright, most of the time.

"S-she care about reputation," Florina said, trying to keep her cool. It was true; after all, Farina did have quite the standing in her youth. "B-but she doesn't like commitment." Unless there was gold involved. "A boyfriend w-won't interest her." Florina thought back of a time, years ago, when Farina stated just that.

_"They're useless, terrible creatures," Eleven year Farina spouted. "Women are the only reason Ilia is sustaining an economy. Men don't do anything." Florina watched as her sisters disputed. Fiora was home for a short time, and they all agreed to take a walk together in the bitter Ilian countryside. Thought Florina was used to the cold, she still marveled at how Fiora never shivered once in her revealing Knight attire. She, herself, lay bundled in a coarse woolen coat that had been passed down from her siblings._

_"Farina, don't say that," Fiora hissed. "Yes the women make the money, but the men farm the land and-"_

_"Bull," Farina snapped. "Damn it Fiora, you know as well I do that we get most of our food from the south anyways. The ground is too frozen for anyone to farm." _

_"Don't curse in front of Florina," Fiora warned her. _

_"Shut the hell up! You don't know anything!" Farina screamed at Fiora. "You're away at the academy; you don't how much he's changed."_

_"I understand-"_

_"No you don't!" Farina accused. "You don't understand anything, Fiora. I hate him! He does nothing, and then he tells us that we should be doing more. I'll never have a boyfriend because I'll be too afraid of him turning into that!"_

"Well, that's too bad," Sain remarked wistfully, bringing Florina back into reality. She nodded her head. "Are you alright? You look a little flushed." Florina nodded, forcing a smile onto her lips.

"Sain, do you really like my sister?" Florina asked him. Something seemed to dawn on him as a smug grin found it's way onto his face. Florina felt the blood rushing back to her face. What was he thinking!

"She is pretty, very very pretty," He said. "But her mind is too focused on money. I've decided that I don't like that in a girl." He quickly added the next part so he would not offend her. "But, she's not bad, a good person and-" Florina giggled.

"I see you've decided, um, that not women are, well, worthy of you," She said.

"Well, yes, but when I do find one, I swear I will sweep her off her feet, dazzle her and-"

"Sain, I think most girls would appreciate more thoughtful gestures," She cut him off. He cocked a curious eyebrow at her. "I mean, well," She sighed. "Smaller things even will build to, er, a happy relationship."

"Like what?"

"Like…getting a girl flowers that she likes or helping her pack up her tent," She said.

"What kind of flowers?" He inquired. Florina stumbled around for an answer.

"Well…uh, there's the Ilian Rose, which is my favorite," She suggested. "It only grows in high altitudes, even in Bern, so you may be able to find it." He nodded.  
"Hmm, well I shall try to find them. Thank you as always." He bowed to her and left. Florina watched him go. At least he was not pining for Farina anymore.

----

Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Just wanted to get this out before I help with the cooking. And if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, then have a very nice…Thursday. Well, review everybody! I'll reply using the new feature now. Buh-bye for now!

Standard disclaimers apply.


	6. Chapter 6

A bitter wind ran past Florina's face, playing with her orchid colored hair. It twisted and teased the strands, but Florina could do nothing about it as she was scanning the skies. Scout duty…again. She was already used to it, and even though the frigid air might have been even colder up in the atmosphere, she was used to that too. Since she had joined the Academy, weather no longer became an issue to her.

They were plunging higher up in the Bern Mountains. Their terrain was now marked by snow and icy slopes. Here their enemy had the advantage; they knew the best routes and just where all the pitfalls laid. Heath was able to aid them, but they had still had been surprised by a few ambushes by Wyvern riders, but fortunately, they were unorganized and random. Still, Florina was beginning to fear they were losing hopes in the ability of their scouts.

Snow was anything but graceful, especially at such a high altitude. Ice hit her face, slapping against her cheeks like tiny daggers. Soon, her vision was completely obscured by the gray and white of blizzard clouds. With a few words of encouragement to Huey, she turned him around and began to seek the army.

They stood out against the white. Most of them were bundled up as well as they could be. Still, Florina knew their clothes were worn through, and there was little warmth in their threadbare coats.

"Florina!" Mark called out. He pushed his way to see her as she landed. She could barely see his face through the hood of his cloak and the mop of brown hair on his head. However, his nose, which stuck out in a comical manner, was red and sore. "It's good to see you."

"I-It's getting bad," She told him. He nodded.

"I can tell," He shivered. "Farina and Heath have already returned. We're just waiting for Fiora, but I think we're going to set camp up here." Florina looked behind him to see that most of her comrades had begun to pitch their tents. She slipped by him and went to Merlinus for her own materials.

With the wind whipping around her and ice building up around her feet, Florina struggled to set up her tent. The poles were freezing quickly, and it nearly burned her hands to handle them. Since tents were occupied in pairs, she usually had Fiora to help her. But Fiora had yet to return, and Florina hoped that that her sister was all right.

The tent sloped over once again, and as she reached over to fix it, the other side collapsed. An arm reached out and steadied it for her. All she caught was a glimpse of brown hair.

For a split second, Sain entered her mind. Had he taken her advice and chosen to help with her tent? Or was it merely a kind gesture on his part? Or-

"O-oh, thanks Wil," Florina mumbled after realizing whom it was. The archer grinned at her.

"No problem," He said. He assisted her with the rest of her work. "It's alright; Rebecca and I already got our tent pitched." He attempted to chat with her.

"You and R-Rebecca?" Florina said slightly confused. "But I, um, thought L-Lord Eliwood said that, well, that men and w-women weren't allowed to share tents." Wil's eyes widened when he realized what he just said.

"I-I mean, well not me and R-Rebecca…we're not doing anything bad or-" Wil started to stutter as he tried to cover it up. Finally, his shoulders slumped over in defeat. "Promise you won't tell anyone?" Florina could not help but to give a small giggle.

"O-of course." After she thanked him meekly, Wil walked off, leaving her to enjoy the feeble protection that the tent offered her. It was still cold, but at least, there was a thin barrier between her and the gusts, even if that barrier did tremble and shake with every new puff.

She laid out the bedrolls, knowing Fiora would be exhausted when she returned. She cleaned out as much slush as she could from the ground, until she reached the frozen earth underneath it all. By the sound of it, things were only worsening outside, all the more reason for her to find busywork within the tent. At long last, she had nothing to do but lay on her bedroll.

She didn't realize how tired she was until she shut her eyes and sleep claimed her. The next thing she knew, someone was crying out "Fiora!". She heard the neigh of the pegasus over the roar of the wind and sat up in anticipation, but for several minutes, nothing happened. She quivered at the thought of Fiora injuring herself in the blizzard and being whisked away to the infirmary tent. That would mean Florina would never know about her sister's welfare until the storm cleared, and with Farina sharing a tent with Isadora, there was no one there to comfort Florina.

Florina stood up and decided to venture out to find Fiora. She was sure that she had arrived. As soon as she stumbled out in the whirl of sleet, she regretted her decision, but she was determined nonetheless. Blindly, she fought her way against the current of the wind. Soon, she couldn't tell one tent from another, and she had once mistaken an ice-covered boulder for the infirmary tent.

She had no choice but to choose a tent and go in it, or else she would perish in the storm. The one she had picked, albeit randomly, was empty. It was a little nicer than the rest, and a single bedroll was present. It resisted the squall much better than Florina's. Trembling, she sat down, limbs shaking uncontrollably.

"Florina!" Someone called out. Immediately, warm arms encompassed her. "Are you alright?" She cracked her eyes open to see Sain holding her. She nodded a yes, but he seemed unconvinced. "You're sick."

"No," She murmured against him. "I-Ilians are i-immune to the cold."

"Just because they can't feel it doesn't mean that they can't become ill off it," Sain said. "Let me carry you back to your tent."

"No, no," She said, pushing herself off the ground. "I-I, uh, walk." She stumbled a few steps before she collapsed against Sain again. He caught her, brushing her hair aside and pressing his hands to her cheeks, as though that would warm them. "W-where is F-F-Fiora?"

"I remembered where you had set your tent, and I escorted her back there," He explained. "And she panicked when she saw you weren't there. I need to get you back so she won't worry." Despite her protests, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her out. She leaned her head against his chest, still protected by his armor. It was a hard pillow, but Florina still was able to drift off against it.

When she woke, she found herself in her bedroll. An extra blanket had been wrapped around her. She realized, with a blush, that it was actually Sain's burly black coat. And something else was waiting for her by her side.

She gasped as she picked them up, three in all. She fingered the delicate bloom's frozen stiff into placed yet still soft and fragrant. They were still a faded pink color, the usual tone for such a thing, and the stems were bright and cheerful.

They were Ilian Roses.

----

Author's Note: Well? I know there must be some sort of reaction going through those minds of yours. Share it with me in a review. Cuz I always like reviews.

Standard disclaimers apply.


	7. Chapter 7

There were no words to describe what was going in Florina's mind at that very moment because it was just that. Nothing. It was as if all time had paused. The clamor of early morning rushes outside had ceased, and the flow of cool air through the tent flap was blocked. The only thing that did not pause was her heartbeat, which increased ten-fold. Slowly, her body reanimated as she trembled and quivered. The flowers fell from her hand.

As a reflex, she caught them again, with only one making impact with the ground. She quickly scooped up that as well and pressed the roses to her heart. This did not subside her shaking nor did it comfort her in any way. She just didn't want to let go of the flowers, even though she understood their meaning very well.

Sain had chosen her. It was simple and ever so terrifying. He wanted to court her, woo her, sweep her off her feet…and that scared Florina more than anything. She had come to consider Sain a close friend, but he was nothing more than that. Had she not convinced Fiora of that not long before? How was she supposed to react to this? When it came to romantic relationships, Florina was a bit out of touch, try as she might to give Sain counseling in that area.

"F-Florina?" Fiora's sleepy voice tore her away from the flowers for just a brief second. Then new worries flooded into Florina's mind; how was she supposed to explain this to Fiora? Dear Elimine, Fiora was probably there the night before when he had laid the precious stems upon her bedroll, and she knew everything already. It would not be long before the questions came, and it would serve to be a new source of embarrassment.

"Y-yes F-Fiora?" She murmured, clutching the petals closer to her chest. She was probably crushing them, but at the moment, that really did not seem to matter much. She heard Fiora throw her blanket aside and walk over to her, but Florina did not have the courage to face her older sister at this moment. Fiora had to turn her around in order to press her lips to her forehead so that she could tell whether or not Florina's temperature was rising.

"Good, it was nothing bad," She said, seemingly satisfied as she pulled away. "Still, I'd like you to check in with Serra later today. You look paler than usual." Florina nodded, though she was really not paying attention to what Fiora was saying. Rather, she was pondering all of the bad things that could come out of this. "What's that you have there?"

"W-what? Nothing." She smiled nervously, hoping that Fiora would stop bothering her but knowing that there was a slim chance that was true. Indeed, Fiora pried her fingers open to see the semi-flattened flowers.

"These are pretty," She commented. "Where did you get them?" Florina breathed a sigh of relief and sent a quick prayer of thanks up to Elimine. Fiora still did not know.

"I, uh, found them," She said.

"Well, yes but where did you find them?" Fiora asked.

"Around." Fiora realized that she was not going to receive a straight answer out of her, and she resolved to simply forget about it. Florina could be stubborn at times, and it was a silly thing to get into an argument about where Florina found a few flowers.

"All right," She said. Grabbing her uniform, she began to dress for the day. "You rest now. I'll talk to Mark about letting you off for the day to recuperate." She gave her a quick hug. "I'm going over to the infirmary tent. They're finally going to release Kent from that prison in a few days, and I just want to make sure that he'll be fine." She hesitated a moment to see if Florina would say anything else; her sibling just nodded her head, a sign that Florina wanted to be alone as soon as possible. Without another word, she passed through the tent flap.

But even in solitude, Florina had no idea of what course action she should take. After a few painful minutes of fretting about it, she decided to seek Sain out and confront him about it. She couldn't run from this one-no, not this time. She threw on her clothes and stuffed her feet into her boots. As she was about to exit, she saw the burly black coat still laying on her bedroll. She snatched it up and then strode into the bitter air outside.

Since the previous night had been so fierce, she had forgotten where Sain's tent laid. Instead, she searched for his face among the crowd. She was afraid to ask anyone for whereabouts. Now that it was true that Sain carried some sort of feelings for her, the scandal of their potential relationship would be all the more real for her.

But there was no potential relationship, she had to remind herself. None whatsoever. She did not possess the same emotions for Sain that he had for her. Besides, she was not suited for love and romance. How many times had she told herself that? She was sure, too, that she had stated to Sain on a number of occasions. Yet he still persisted.

'He's womanizer, of course he would persist,' Florina thought to herself. She mentally slapped herself for merely thinking it. He was really a good person, even if he did have a particular fondness for women. It was only in the current situation that sent Florina's emotions into a muddle; only now would she ever think of such a thing. She was about to become one of those women after all.

Several times in her search to find Sain, Florina paused. She even turned back once or twice, but during those instances, her determination to stand for herself- for once- overrode everything else, and she would spin around again and continue on her way. The cycle would start again she began to regret her choice almost as soon as she decided to press on.

When she realized that she had been tracing a blind circle around camp, Florina gave up stubbornly once and for all. She flopped down, frustrated and confused, onto an icy boulder. The frost that glazed it over almost made her slip off, but she remained there for a good half-hour. That was where Farina found her, brooding over the stupid flowers.

"Hey sis, what are you doing here? The camp's that-a-way," She pointed to the left. The line of tents stopped just a few feet away from her spot, but it was still isolated from the rest of the army. Florina did not respond to Farina. Instead, she cradled the roses in her hands. Her hair was covering her face, and it effectively shielded the blooms from Farina's line of sight.

"What's wrong?" She asked, taking a seat next to Florina. The boulder was small, and it was hard to fit the two girls on it, even if they were both petite and light in weight. In fact, the extra person made it so much harder for Florina to keep her grip in her place.

"N-nothing," She gurgled as her eyes began to water. Oh, why was she so befuddled? Her thoughts were so jumbled, and she could not sort out the smart choices from the dumb choices from the totally humiliating choices. The last one was hard to keep up; she always had a tendency to mortify herself in front of her peers, and she was growing so tired of it. It was apart of her life and entwined with her destiny, she supposed. There would never be a time when she would not embarrass herself; so, why bother?

"Come on," Farina prodded. "You're crying. You don't cry for no reason. You cry when someone scared you badly or when a man has hurt you in some way. Which means you have a lot of reasons to cry, and face it, you're a crybaby, but you never don't have a reason."

"Stop it," Florina hissed, yet instead of retaliating at her sister, she pressed her head into her shoulder and wept. With one hand, Farina stroked Florina's hair, as if it was any comfort to the sobbing girl. She flinched when Florina suddenly seized her hands, accidentally pinching the skin in the process. The Ilian Roses were thrust into her palms.  
"Um, but I thought you liked these," Farina mumbled. She inspected the stems, but there were no thorns. She sniffed it; the smell was faded but pleasant all the same. There was nothing of the sort that could provoke this kind of reaction from Florina.

"Sain gave them to me." Ok, now that explained everything. Farina instantly understood since her sister's emotional barriers were very thin and weren't used to this sort of exchange with a man.

"Do you want me to beat him up for you?" Farina joked. The head buried in the crook of her neck shook violently. With an outburst of fresh tears, Florina suddenly spewed everything to Farina- the deal, the advice, even the events of the night before.

Farina yanked herself free of the bawling girl and stood. Before she knew it, Florina was being pulled to her feet and dragged back through the encampment. She noticed that Sain's coat was trailing on the dirty ground. She snuggled up further in her arms. It might have been his but it was also soft, warm, and a good source of comfort. The flowers were now in the possession of Farina.

"Out," Farina directed Isadora as she entered her tent, Florina in tow.

"But this is my tent too," Isadora reminded her.

"Sisterly emergency," Farina excused herself. "Out…_now_." Isadora rolled her eyes, but as soon as she saw the stricken state Florina was in, she said her condolences through a small, sympathetic smile. Farina, meanwhile, set to work finding something in her tent. She finally pulled out a _firaflask._ It was a canteen protected by anima magic so that the water would not freeze inside.

"Here," She dabbed a small drop of water onto a handkerchief. She gently patted the skin around Florina's eyes to lessen the appearance of her bloodshot whites and the bags that hung under them. "Now we are going to find Sain for you, and you are going to return the coat and casually ask about the flowers. Understood?"

"I can't," Florina sniveled.

"Of course you can and you will," Farina firmly told her. "Or else I will be forced to bring up the little incident at the Drugul Festival to Lady Lyndis." Florina shrunk away and Farina sighed. "Oh, fine, I won't tell anyone. Just get out there and talk to him." She pushed Florina out in front of her. Together, they hunted him down by the meal tent. A bowl of lentil soup was warming his hands as he sipped it from the rim; any sort of utensils was precious and hard to find, even in Merlinus' cart. Farina nudged Florina forward, and the younger knight held the coat out in front of her in defense.

"Here," She hastily displayed it to him. "Y-you, um, left this." Sain smiled and with some difficulty, he hung it over his arm while still balancing the soup.

"But of course, you were so cold last night," He said. "Are you hungry? Rebecca and Lowen are cooking up a storm in there. It isn't much but what they have they are working wonders with."

"Thanks…but no," She said. Then she remembered her purpose. "And, t-thanks for h-helping me, um, last night. And…thanksfortheflowers." The last part came out as a squeak. He comprehended it for a moment, carefully dissecting the slur of words so that he could properly understand them.

"Flowers? Oh, those flowers," He said. "Well, you see, they aren't from me." The statement took a moment to digest in her mind. Who could they be from if they weren't from Sain? "There was another man in the army who liked you, and I, uh, told him you liked those flowers. I thought it would be a good step in our deal." Florina numbly nodded. She much rather preferred Sain to some random bozo.

"Who?" She asked.

"It's a secret," He said. "I can't just go telling you. Let love run its course, and you'll find out eventually." He flashed a quick grin. "I have to go. Sweet Lady Lyndis was calling for me earlier." He promptly dismissed himself, leaving Florina more disoriented than before.

This other man, who was he? Truth be told, she had been so focused on Sain that this new development twisted everything around. What if he was not as nearly handsome as Sain? What if he wasn't as funny as her favorite knight in green? What if he was not as willing to rescue Florina, as Sain had done the night before?

Wait a second, why was she thinking this way…unless…oh no! The tables had turned! She almost did not believe it even though she knew it was time to admit the fact to herself.

Florina had a crush on Sain.

XoXoXoXo

Author's Note: You all hate me right now, don't you? Just when you think they're getting together, I spring a third person into the relationship. You know the drill. Make me happy and review.

Standard disclaimers apply.


	8. Chapter 8

_Florina watched curiously as Farina sniggered and hid behind the closed door. Her ear was pressed to the wood as she covered her mouth with her hand. Her young body was crouched down low as another muffled giggle escaped her lips._

_"What are you doing?" Florina asked. Farina turned her head to look at Florina before pressing a finger to her lips. She beckoned for Florina to sit by her and then leaned her head back against the door. Florina followed suit. Through the door, she heard her mother and Fiora speaking. It took a moment to focus her ears so that they could pick up on the soft conversation. _

_"So, what is his name?" Her mother asked in her lyrical voice. Fiora hesitated a moment before answering._

_"Watt," she replied sheepishly. "He's in training to be a knight." _

_"Fiora's got a crush," Farina sang out quietly. There another chuckle before she silenced herself to listen as the rest of the scene unfolded. _

_"How old is he?" Their mother inquired. There was a pause followed by a slight squeak of an answer._

_"What did she say?" Farina asked Florina, straining her ears to listen._

_"Two years older," Florina told her. There was a sigh emitted from their mother, followed by some light, inaudible chatter between mother and daughter. Farina was becoming antsy, as she clearly could not understand what was going on. Finally, their Mother spoke in a louder voice._

_"A crush is simply a liking for someone," she spoke. "It does not mean you are in love. It does not require you to pursue romance. There are some bad men out there, Fiora. Remember that. Stick truer to your duties than to any man, for they will make you happier and will never betray you. And make sure you know the difference between love and infatuation before you marry that supposedly one special man."_

That single memory was brought back to Florina as Farina lectured her, saying very clearly, "This isn't the end of the world, you know." Florina only could numbly nod; Farina just didn't understand. It might not be the end of the world, but for her, it was pretty damn close.

"You don't understand," Florina tried to put it to words. Farina sighed.

"Of course I do," Farina attempted to convince her, but they were at odds here. "I have had several unrequited crushes. I deal with it, and it's about time you learn to do the same." She paused. "You're lucky to have me helping you instead of Fiora convincing you that you don't have these feelings. Jeez, you should just be happy with the fact that I'm not making you pay for my services." This made Florina crack a small smile.

"You're right," she admitted. "She wouldn't like the idea of me liking Sain." Farina snorted.

"That's an understatement. She wouldn't like the idea of you with anyone, especially during a time of war. Except, she seems to a hypocrite, as she is spending more and more time that Kent guy." Farina took a short strand of her hair and twirled it between her thumb and index finger. "Those two are so much alike, it's scary sometimes. And, as strange as it may seem, he actually agrees with all those little rules and morals she makes up." Florina reminded her that she had been watching their antics for much longer than she had and that she knew very clearly.

"Do you, well, think that Fiora will follow Mother's advice?" Florina questioned. With a strange look, Farina glanced over at Florina and shrugged.

"What advice?" She said sarcastically, with a little bit of disdain thrown in. "Oh, you mean that we should disregard all members of the opposite sex for they will bring us great pain?" Her snide remark carried all the contempt she held for their mother, a woman she considered weak and pitiful. "Well, I will say she did a good job of raising us. What, with a daughter who thinks that it is morally unfit to breathe on a man out of marriage, a child who only loves gold and a kid with an absolute fear of the male population." She paused. "But no, I think Fiora won't listen. Of any of us, she was the always the one to think beyond that and the only one with hope of marriage. Us two, we're not made for men."

Though it rung true, Florina did not like to hear Farina talk like that. She had always loved her mother, and although the woman had a strong dislike for men, she was kind and gentle, and she still carried a love in her heart for their father. Perhaps that was the source of their troubles. Also, Farina spoke as if none of it would ever change, and there would be no hope for Florina.

"You're wrong," she said quietly.

"About Fiora? Heh, I think not," Farina chuckled. Before Florina could properly explain what she meant, Farina whisked her out of the room, suggesting that they travel even further down memory lane and tune into Fiora's love life. Florina knew where they were headed: Kent's tent. Just a few days back—the night after Florina realized her affection for Sain— Kent had been free of that "cage" of an infirmary, as Fiora so nicely put it.

It was dark outside, with the stars and moon illuminating the encampment. From the center of the camp, a few fires were still lit as most of the army continued to chat and drink as the night wore on. For a second, Florina caught sight of what she believed to be an Ilian Rose tucked behind Priscilla's ear in place of her usual feather. But it was only a glimpse, as Farina was still dragging Florina behind her as they approached Kent's tent.

From inside the tent flaps, Florina could hear a hushed conversation. It was nothing private, but she was sure that Fiora and Kent did not want to draw attention to the fact that they were spending more and more of their leisure hours in each other's company. Farina squatted on the other side of the tent, away from the tent flap where eyes could catch her eavesdropping. Florina knelt down next to her.

There was a little light laughter and some discussion of the army and current events. Farina yawned as it stretched on with nothing occurring of any slight interest. They watched the two from the shadows of the tent. The taller form was Kent while the slimmer shape was obviously Fiora.

Finally, the two shadows moved closer together, and as they did so, their voices dropped to a low tone. The sisters watched eagerly as Kent's dark hand brought Fiora's up to his chin. As his head bowed, the girls could safely assume that he was kissing her fingers. Farina struggled to keep from letting out an excited whoop. It was not that she was happy that her sister was finally hooking up with a guy; it was the fact that this made excellent blackmail material that made her so anxious.

"If only Isadora would have taken me up to that bet," Farina whispered to Florina. The shadows broke apart. They probably heard of a voice and thought someone was walking by the tent. "Man, I would have won it big time." The two inside seemed to decide that it just wasn't a passerby, as Fiora's figure retreated. With a muffled giggle, Florina crawled away on all fours before climbing back onto her feet and running away.

Farina apparently did not miss Florina's presence nor did she notice the absence of one of the shadows, as she continued to rant on. Florina burst into laughter as she heard Fiora's familiar shout upon finding Farina hiding behind the tent. She glanced over her shoulder to try to see them fight as she continued to run, but as she did so, she ran straight into two strong arms.

"Tsk, tsk," Sain pretended to chide her. She looked up and gasped when she saw Sain's teasing face. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Florina. Eavesdropping on your sister…why just the idea of it could make you guilty." Florina stepped back out of his embrace and took a moment to steady her breathing patterns.

"Y-you would have, um, done the same," she pointed out. He laughed.

"True," he admitted, "but I would have been a lot more discreet than Miss Farina over there. So," He leaned close to Florina. For a second, she hoped- thought- he was going to kiss her, but even she knew that was implausible. "Did they finally kiss?"

"Y-Yeah, he kissed her," Florina said coolly. Sain let out a satisfied whoosh of breath, but she then added, "On the hand, that is." Sain cursed under his breath.

"I've been waiting for those two to hook up forever," he said. "For some time now, I've been suggesting to Kent that he allow to me give him some dating advice, but he always turns me down."

"Dating advice? You mean passing on what I tell you?" Florina remarked. "Really Sain, I'm starting to think you're using me." He laughed and patted her back.

"You know, you really are a fun and witty person once you start coming out of your shell," he said. Florina reverted back to her old habit and bit her lip. Farina had said the same exact thing several times before, but every time she seemed to "come out of her shell", she only embarrassed herself more.

"So, you've c-chosen Priscilla, eh?" She changed the subject abruptly. He looked at her, surprised if anything. Her eyes cast down to the ground, where her boots became an instant source of entertainment. "I saw you gave her flowers."

"Yeah," he said. "She's nice, and she seems to like me."

"Well, good then," Florina mumbled. Then a new idea snuck into her head. Before her common sense could stop her, she put it into action. "But…isn't she, um, some sort of n-nobility?" Sain nodded. "Its will be hard to please her…because…you know, she already has everything."

"I've thought of that, and I've thought of Priscilla. She doesn't seem like that." What he said had an air of truth to it, and Florina cursed- yes, swore violently- in her head for it. Why was she jealous now? She had known what she was getting into, and it was perfectly clear to her that Sain was going to pick a girl other than her and fall in love. Florina would be pushed out of the way when she was no longer needed.

"You're right," she murmured softly. "Um, I guess I'll find out about her- I mean, I will help find ways to win her over." He smiled his thanks. Poor Florina was heartbroken, but he could not see it. It was getting darker by the second, and shadows were cast about her face, shielding her emotions that were probably painted clearly on her burning cheeks and trembling lip.

"You've guessed my girl; so, any ideas on your boy?" He questioned her. She snapped back to reality. She had given it a lot of thought, and she believed she knew the answer.

"W-W-Wil," she burst out. Florina saw Sain's eyes widened only slightly; he was surprised she knew. "I mean, he did e-everything that I told y-you to do, and y-you obviously passed it on. It surprises me; he was with R-Rebecca I thought and-"

"Haven't you heard?" he asked. She knew the rumors, and she had indeed heard of them. "People have been saying Rebecca and Raven have a thing for each other, and Wil is getting jealous. Perhaps…" He let it hang as she knew very well what it was. Wil wanted to hang out with her to make Rebecca envious. It would make sense, except Wil didn't seem like that type of person. Then again, Florina was willing to screw up Sain's relationship with Priscilla; so, anything was possible.

In fact, maybe accepting Wil's approaches would have the same effect on Sain as it would Rebecca. If he cared about her, he would be driven mad with jealously. Florina knew in her heart that she really couldn't so cruel to amiable Priscilla that she would lie to Sain about her, but flirting with Wil would gain them both of their desired results. Ok, so she wasn't a great flirter (or actress), but it could work.

Suddenly, her mother's words echoed back to her, and she instantly felt ashamed. This was a crush, nothing more than a more-than-usual liking of this man. Why would she go to such extreme measures for him? Wil was obviously in love with Rebecca; he had known her since they were children. Florina had known Sain for a little more than a year, and her infatuation of him was relatively recent.

"Florina, are you alright?" Sain asked her. She nodded meekly. The answer came to her then, as he slipped his arms around her body and muttered a good night to her. It was a friendly embrace, a gesture to simply cap off the night, but it unclouded the haze around her question.

Why was she thinking of such crazy actions?

Because, quite simply, she would go insane if she didn't.

----

Author's Note: Ta Da! Now that you've read this, it's time for the second part: Review!


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm bored." The words left Florina's lips as a depressed sigh without her giving any thought to them. In fact, she had barely noticed that she had spoken at all. It came like a gentle breath, so soft that surely if she did not hear it, no one else would. But taking that into consideration, it must be said that Sain has remarkable hearing.

"What's that, my little flower?" he called over to her, mounted on his steed. The daily march was proceeding at a sluggish pace, and both he and his horse were becoming restless. The sun was boring down on them, and poor Huey was so exhausted that Mark granted Florina permission to give him a day of rest. His wings almost dragged on the ground as he walked. Florina felt so sorry for the winged-horse that she considered walking beside him to ease the weight on his back. Now, Sain and Florina lagged behind everyone else, partaking in idle silence.

"Excuse me?" Florina looked over at Sain with a curious look on her face. Sain only grinned.

"No, no, I agree. It is quite dull." So he had heard her after all. It only now registered in her mind that she had actually declared her boredom. Sain looked off, away from the legions that tediously trudged through the crags. Something, out beyond the borders of their troops, caught his eye. A mischievous gleam sparked in those orbs, and Florina was almost scared of what he was thinking. A wide grin stretched over his lips.

"Say…Florina," he spoke. "How about we go for a little ride?" Florina turned to look at him incredulously. He wanted to abandon the march to run off for some leisure time? She knew Sain loved to tease authority, but Florina could not be so bold as to dash off without permission.

"No," she mumbled her disagreement.

"Pfft, why not?" he snorted.

"Sain, we c-can't just leave!" Florina hissed. "They might need us." Sain shook his head in dispute.

"They have the entire army to back them; we won't be missed," he tried to convince her, though his light-hearted attempts were doing little to sway her opinion on the matter. "And we'll be near enough that we won't lose them, and if we hear any trouble, we'll come running." It was as simple as that for Sain, but for him, it was easier to disregard the rules.

"Sain…" Florina groaned, more of a plead for him to stay by her side with the rest of the troops than a complaint of his demeanor. After all, his carefree attitude charmed her, if anything. She just did not like having to see him land in trouble with Lyn and Mark, and the thought of being dragged into it was despised even more so.

But Sain had ignored her. With a kick of his heel, his horse burst into a gallop, away from the line of drudging soldiers. He let out a whoop of laughter, before pulling back sharply on the reins of his horse. He turned and beckoned for Florina to follow.

Florina looked down at Huey, still weary, but even he seemed to want free range out on the hilly pasture. With a sigh, she urged him forward, joining Sain at a slower trot.

"Come on," he jerked his head to gesture towards one direction, "before they see us." Only now, after his booming laugh, did he seem concerned about being caught. Yet, once again, he sprinted off before Florina could even try to make sense of it all. She followed, trying her best not to exhaust Huey too much.

They had already descended into the lower altitudes of the Bern Mountains. Green now marked the slopes, instead of harsh browns and the blinding white snow. Sain had even ditched his black coat. In a way, Florina was sorry not to see it on him any longer. Even it hung strangely off his thin frame and the color was too dark for his light behavior and appearance, it still made him look quite dashing.

Sain dismounted and let his charger graze on a patch of grass. Florina followed suit, taking a seat next to him on the ground. She sat on her knees daintily, pulling her short skirt farther over her knees. Sain seemed to take notice.

"I seem to like it just where it is," he whispered. Florina paused for a moment, knowing from his voice it was a joke and not his usual flirts but still unsure of what action to take to such a comment,. Then, as if it was natural, she punched him the shoulder teasingly as payback. He pretended to collapse in pain from the light blow. "Ah! Ah! I've been wounded! Will thy sweet, merciful maiden spare my life?" He threw his hand over his forehead melodramatically.

"Hm, it depends," she said, feigning a look of deep thought. She tapped her chin.

"On what?"

"Well, if you declare that you're a jerk—"

"Fine, I'm a huge jerk," Sain said, happy to comply.

"—and that I'm the most wonderful, lovely person in the whole wide world—"

"I think that's been established." Florina met this comment with a glare that clearly asked Sain if he wanted another fist of doom from the petite girl.

"—And, you have to become my slave." A look of mock terror crossed Sain's face; it froze in a contorted expression of fear.

"Does this mean that- gasp- I have to clean the stables for you?" he trembled.

"Yep," Florina returned cheerfully. Sain expired with a shuddering gasp and fell on to his back.

"Never mind my life! I'll take the honorable way out! Give me death!" With his fingers curled, he pretended to stab an invisible knife into his chest. Florina could no longer hold back her laughter and exploded into a fit of giggles. Sain, too, joined in on the laughter.

"Feels good," he admitted with a chuckle. "To act so young and silly again."

"Something tells me, Sain, that you never grew up in the first place," Florina snickered. He ruffled her hair in response, and she scooted away from his, avoiding his teasing hands. It reminded her of her youth in Ilia, when they would frolic outside in the snow, teasing and laughing with each other and reveling in the simple pleasures of life.

"See Florina, I like it when you're like this," Sain commented. "When you're not scared of me or stuttering so much." Florina nodded along silently. She could feel him watching her, and in a way, it made just a bit more self-conscious. She knew her hair was frizzing in all directions, and though she did not dare call attention to it by rubbing it away, she could feel a smudge of dirt streaking across her brow.

"I feel comfortable around you," she confessed gently. "I don't see you as a man any more."

"Not a man?" Sain challenged the statement. Florina opened her mouth to correct what she said and covey what she really meant, but it was of no use. His voice rose a few decibels and picked up a shrill tone. "Not a man, say you! Why, hon, I am insulted! Look at this face; this is a manly face." Florina's panic melted away as she could not help but giggle at his antics.

"T-that's not what I meant," she panted. She sobered up but just a little as a smile was still present. "I mean, I'm not scared of you any more, like I am with some other men." As she said, a slight blush was painted on her cheeks, but Sain did not seem to notice.

"Well, I don't think of you as a girl then," Sain said. There was a flicker distress within Florina as he spoke those words, but she pushed it away, determined not to let it come to mind and torture her.

"I guess we're both genderless blobs, then" Florina joked weakly. Sain nodded, slipping his hands behind his head.

"Hm, what to do," he thought out loud, after the moment had faded. Florina flopped down on her back to imitate Sain.

"Shouldn't we be catching up with the others," she questioned.

"My dear, you are no fun," he teased. "Let's let them get eaten by a few Wyverns before we grace them with our fair presence." He paused for a moment, staring up at the clouded sky with a few splotches of blue amongst the gray. "How about… a staring contest?" Florina could tell that it was the best idea he could come up with, and as lame as it sounded, she really could not do any better.

"I guess so," she agreed, pulling herself so that her legs were tucked under her. Sain, too, sat up straight.

"Alright, I'll count to three, and then, we'll begin," he clarified the rules. "Ready?" Florina nodded, shutting her eyes until the countdown was over. "One, two, three!" Her sea-colored eyes snapped open and stared deep into his green ones. A few seconds passed before Florina realized that she was facing no mere enemy. He was skilled in the art of not blinking, as funny as that sounded.

Sain raised one eyebrow, challenging her. She defiantly glared back. More slow moments went by, and still, they were at odds. Florina knew that if she wanted to win this childish, but very prestigious, competition, she would have to start using her wiles. Though she did not like to have to go that far, it was the only effective weapon she could think of against Sain.

She gave a low sigh and twirled a finger through her hair. Sain looked amused but did not give in. Her shoulders raised in a kittenish shrug that oddly befitted her shy nature. To Florina, this was as far as she would- could- ever go with flirting, as she was not very experienced with it. Add that to the fact that there was not much to do without causing her to blink and her actions were limited. Still, her actions bemused Sain, and he caught a whiff of her intentions.

His hand darted forward and grabbed her. It was a surprise, and her eyelids almost fluttered, but she forced them to remain open. With his thumb, he stroked the back of her hand, and while her heart was racing, Florina did not show on her face. Her expression turned blank.

"Give up, Flora," Sain taunted. "You know you want to."

"Nope," Florina said, with as much coolness as she could muster. Was it just her or did he bestow upon her an endearing nickname. She leaned towards him and opened her mouth like she was about to say something, but her free hand had struck forward like lightning to slap him arm. His free hand, in turn, caught her without missing a beat.

Her eyes were now threatening mutiny, and she could see that his were as well. It was becoming harder and harder to force them open. Yet, they both persisted, glowering at each other. When he let go of her hand, Florina knew he was up to something.

That hand snaked around her waist and pulled her even closer. Sain rested his forehead against her, his gaze softening. Florina's heart thudded. His grip was tight; their contact was close. Their noses brushed against each other. Her pulse echoed in her ears, banging and clashing. His warm breath mingled with hers. Then, without warning—

Blink.

Sain's head drifted to her ear, where he whispered lightly, "I win."

---

After catching up to the rest of the army and creating an elaborate excuse as to why they ran off (involving stray wyverns and a dead rabbit), Florina was finally given a chance to rest. Huey seemed to enjoy the day's vacation, and he nuzzled her affectionately with his nose as she fed him. With a pat, she offered him a carrot, remembering fondly on the day's events.

True, Sain had turned her into a flustered mess, but she had thoroughly enjoyed herself. She hummed a light tune to herself, then noticed that Huey's water bowl was empty. With a sigh, she took the watering pail to the spring right next to the camp. While she fetching some for Huey, she would be a nice little sister and get some for her sister's mounts as well.

She bent over the water source, filling the pail with fresh mountain water. It was heavy to carry back; so, Florina had to grasp the handle tightly with two hands. However, on her way back, she tripped and the bucket poured forward, spilling half of the water and soaking her skirt.

With a frustrated grunt, Florina turned back to refill the bucket before anyone saw her sopping mess. Before she could take a few steps, a few sentences of a conversation reached her ears from a nearby tent. The voices were recognized as Sain and Kent.

"This is war, Sain," Kent chided him. "You shouldn't be chasing after a girl."

"Don't lecture me," Sain said, with a graver tone than usual. Kent sighed, knowing there was no way he could convince his comrade to give up his flirtatious ways.

"I thought you liked her, though," Kent said. Her? "You seemed to be so friendly with her, more than you are with most women, and it appeared she has affections back towards you. Why did you tell him about the flowers then?" Florina's breath caught; they had to be talking about her!

"I did like her," Sain said. "But not so much anymore. And besides, she never really liked me back, at least not in a romantic way."

"So, you don't regret giving her away to another man?"

"Not at all."

----

"_Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" –Jabberwocky, Lewis Carrol_

Author's Note: Frabjous day indeed! I got 100 reviews! I love you guys. I was going to wait another day to post this chapter, but oh well. Well, make me even happier and review this chapter as well. Cause you know you nearly died from the absolute fluffy-sugariness of it all.


	10. Chapter 10

It seemed as though the sea of soldiers would never end. Poor Huey was dodging arrows and javelins at a steady pace, desperate to find a spot where Florina could safely impale her opponents, but she could no more than give them a mere scratch before Huey had to jerk back again to evade that countering thrust. Of course, judging by that scream, it was more than a mere scratch that she had inflicted upon the last myrmidon.

Her spear-arm was growing tired as she held the heavy steel lance in her hand, constantly jabbing it forward and sometimes without merit as she missed her target. They were in a lower altitude of the Bern Mountains now, but the still towering peaks gave her no shade or relief from the blazing sun. Freeing Huey's reins for a split moment, Florina wiped off the sweat on her brow with her arm. The metal on her chest and arms burned with the heat built up by the sun.

A knight approached her, and their lances clashed. Steel tangled with steel; hidden eyes pierced Florina from behind the helmet. She pulled back her weapon, and Huey flapped his wings to gain height. Swinging behind her enemy, Florina dashed downwards, striking him with all the might she could muster.

There was a sickening _crack! _Huey screeched and pulled back, using his wings as a shield from the flying shards of metal. The knight fell, but in him, her spear point was lodged firmly. Florina had pulled away with the splintered ends of a now useless weapon. Granted, it was still sharp, but unless she should come upon an enemy wearing no armor at all, it would do little but mar the heavy steel platelets that the other surrounding knights and their one, lone, fearsome general wore.

Luckily, Florina had one thing they did not, and that was speed. She darted up into the air, so high up that no spike could reach her. Her eyes scanned the area for Merlinus, and in a far away corner, she could see him trying to gain control of his frantic horses. Huey flew over to his direction, but a whizzing near her ear upset the Pegasus.

It was the sound of an arrow that had fortunately missed her flying steed, but Huey knew the sound well. It was enough for him to immediately fly as far away as he could from the projectile. Florina let him take his course, instead searching out for a comrade that could spare her a weapon.

Dear Elimine, she would even take an axe right now if it meant she would be armed. But wait…she had been getting better in her sword practices. Perhaps, if worst came to worst, she could loan a blade and stay in the back lines, fending off only those enemies that posed a threat to her.

That telltale flash of green armor sparked in the corner of her eye. Sain always carried both a lance and a sword with him. Though he preferred the romantic lance to his blade, brigands, wielding jagged axes, currently circled him and he knew that (though he liked to ignore it sometimes) that his lance would do him little good.

With a satisfying grunt, the brigand fell as Florina watched and waited for the opportune moment. He was still alive, since his body still shuddered and moaned, but he was no longer of any danger. At this point, Florina felt it was safe for her to approach Sain.

He looked up as Huey landed, and thrusting up the visor of his helmet, a broad grin was revealed on his face. Florina returned that smile, albeit not as widely.

"What can I do for you, Flora?" he asked. He seemed careless about his surroundings; so, Florina took the responsibility of making no enemies were sneaking up on them before continuing.

"I need a lance," she said. "Mine broke and—" She did not need to go any further. Sain handed her his javelin. "Thank you," she said relieved and comforted.

"No need," he pushed it aside, slamming his visor down. With his voice muffled he added, "Now, how about we ride together into the next scuffle. With two knights of Caelin, I'm sure the enemy will flee in terror." He was joking, as they both knew two soldiers of a small Lycian territory would likely not scare away the minions of the Black Fang. Still, his ever so cheerful demeanor always made the battles seem slightly better.

And besides, she enjoyed his partnership. After all, it was just more time to spend with Sain without having to think about the other people in their relationship.

Love squares could get quite tiring after a while.

------

The battle had ended, and dusk had greeted them all with wide-open arms. Weary and sore, the soldiers were more than glad to settle down and sleep. Farina had disappeared, claiming that she had business with Dart. More likely, she was just trying to sneak a look at that stupid treasure map she had told Florina about the other day.

Florina stripped off her armor in the privacy of her tent. Sure, she did not wear as much protection as her companions, but even after a long day, her shoulder guards grew hot and bore heavily upon her thin shoulders. Her gloves dropped to the ground, and she kicked off her boots. Smiling, she wiggled her toes, now free save for the heavy, woolen gray socks she wore. She was about to tear those off as well until her mind drifted to the lance discarded in the corner of her tent.

It was not hers. It was Sain's. She should return it; after all, she could get a new weapon, rightfully hers, from Merlinus now. Then, her eyes drifted back to her boots. She really did not want to have to put those back on again. Of course, troubling Sain by "borrowing" his weapon even longer was another thing she did not want to have to go through.

But the boots were just so uncomfortable. They were thick and long and stuck to her skin. They blistered her feet and caused her skin to rash.

Sain, however, was nice enough to give her his lance during the heat of battle. It was common courtesy to return his weapon. She was the one who should be bothered with getting a new one from the supply.

Oh but how could she stand a few more minutes in those ghastly things, after she looked forward so much to taking them off! Her legs could breathe again as they were free from the tight prison.

This was silly. A few minutes would not kill her…right? Sain was a gentleman to her, something he was to few other girls. Returning his lance should be the least she could do.

Her toes wiggled again. Florina glanced down at her feet. Why not go without the boots? No one would be looking down at her feet, and if they were, how could they blame her for not wanting to wear that awful footwear. She could easily slip behind the tents, which seemed to be the back roads of the camp. Those who were not resting inside their tents were out at the fireside, eating and drinking as they pleased and ignoring that little shadow slipping by.

With this resolved, Florina grabbed the lance and ambled on over to Sain's tent. The only person she passed was Dorcas, who did not even pass a glance towards her. When she reached her destination, she burst into Sain's tent.

Then her cheeks burned when she realized that she forgot to announce herself. Fortunately, Sain was dressed, but Florina was still embarrassed that she disregarded common manners when she had been trying to be courteous.

"Why, hello," Sain said, slightly surprised by her sudden arrival. He, too, had thrown aside all his armor, including his boots as well. Even the band that held his hair out of his eyes was missing, and several brown strands now hung down. He looked…kind of cute that way. Flustered, Florina could only hold the javelin forward, as a sort of offering.

He chuckled. "Excited to see me?" His hand enclosed around the javelin, knuckles brushing against Florina's fingers. She quickly released her hold on it.

"Excited to get rid that weapon," she retorted back after a moment. Sain set the javelin down to one corner of the tent and then turned around. When he did so, he noticed she was staring at him.

"What?"

"S-sorry, it's just…your hair band," she said. "I've never seen you without it." It was true. She had seen him without armor numerous times before, but never once since she had met him had he appeared without that strap of cloth.

"I've never seen you without your boots," he pointed out. So he noticed after all.

"You try wearing them!" Florina said in her defense.

"Fine, I'm sure they would look quite flattering on me," he said. As the image of Sain wearing her boots came up in her mind, Florina tried her best not to burst out laughing. Suddenly, she spotted the band laying on his bedroll. She pranced over to it, picked it up, and tied it behind her head.

"Not as good as I look," she said. She struck a pose, but to her surprise, Sain did not look amused. He tsked lightly under his breath, mumbling something she could not hear. "Well, I think it looks good," she remarked, turning around so that she could admire herself in the reflection of Sain's chest plate.

Without warning, her world was plunged into darkness. Florina let out a shriek, but she found that it only echoed around her. She heard Sain chuckle, then start laughing almost hysterically. Dazed, she wandered around blindly before she realized what the sudden weight upon her head was.

Sain had put his helmet on her while her back was turned. Her hands fumbled to find the visor.

"Now, you look good," he said with another chortle. "And by the way, it's on backwards." With a growl, Florina tried to find out which direction Sain's voice was coming from. Not only did the helmet feel like lead but also it smelled like a mix between rotten eggs and sweat. She grasped both sides of it and tried to pull it off, but her hands slipped.

"Sain, get it off of me!" she shrieked, half-playfully, half-serious. Two arms slipped around her, and the added weight of Sain's head was added to her neck's load.

"Why? I think you look kind of cute in it," he told her. Florina breathed deeply, so that the sounds reverberated against the metal.

"Really…I can't breathe." At first, Sain did not buy it, but when faint choking sounds emitted from the helm, he sighed and removed it. Once free, Florina tackled Sain, who only caught her petite body in his arms.

"Well, did you have any other business with me?" he questioned her. His embrace was tight, so that she almost did not realize he was speaking. But she was able to come with an answer.

"Are you kicking me out?"

"I do have an appointment with someone," he told her.

"Oh really? Who?"

"Could be my Lady Love," he said. Once again, those words dampened Florina's spirit, as she knew she was not that love and yet yearned for it so much. "Or could be my friend who is a total idiot when it comes to love, a certain red haired knight we all know so well."

"Fine, I'm going," Florina said with a sigh. She raised her hand in farewell as she turned to leave, but Sain took that hand in his.

"But, I'll walk you back," he offered. He removed his hand, to Florina's chagrin, to pluck his hair band off her head and replace it on his own. After it was situated to his tastes, they strolled out, side-by-side.

Chatting lightly, Florina was pleasant until Priscilla showed up along their path. Upon seeing her, Florina could not help but drop her smile. Priscilla seemed in a nice enough mood, though something was clearly bothering her and looked anxious upon spotting Sain.

"Hello Sain," she said with some merriment. "Oh Florina, hello." She turned back to Sain. Florina considered ducking out, but a certain curiosity crept inside of her. "Um, Sain, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Unexpectedly, Sain backed out. "Sorry, I'm busy," he said very curtly.

"But—" Priscilla seemed as if she really needed to speak with him, and Florina was taken aback at his sudden change of behavior.

"Really, I have to go." He snatched Florina's wrist rather forcefully and guided her away from Priscilla, whose face reflected a hurt expression. Florina wiggled out of Sain's grasp and rubbed her red wrist.

"W-what was that about?" she hissed. She, too, was shocked by how rude Sain was. At times, he could offend women with his flirts or annoy other men with his behavior, but he was never so impolite like that. Sain shook his head.

"I just didn't want an awkward encounter," he excused himself. He avoided Florina's gaze.

"That was rude!" she said in true shock. She could not understand this; it was quite out of character for Sain. Once again, he shook his head.

"Sorry, but…I have to go," he said and took off in the opposite direction. Puzzled, Florina could watch after him as he disappeared.

There was a giggle from behind her.

"Looks like someone has a little more affection for you than they'll admit. Interesting…indeed…"

--------------------------

Author's Note: Sorry, Angel of Atonement. I can't say it was a killer ending this time. But it doesn't matter, as I am extremely satisfied with this chapter. Well, tell me what you all think of it in a lovely (or not-so-lovely, I ain't picky) review.


	11. Chapter 11

Florina squeaked. More closely, she squealed. Her little body jumped up and twisted around in mid-air, only to face the one, the only Farina. Her sister stood there, with a devilish grin on her lips and her hands resting on her hips.

"Y-you startled me," Florina said, a little relieved.

"How? By talking or by saying Sain really does like you back?"

"Um…well, it was just sudden and—" Farina laughed at her reaction.

"No need to hide from me, sis," Farina said, slipping an arm around Florina's shoulder. She guided her back towards her own tent, talking smoothly the entire way. "We're as thick as thieves. Hiding from me only hurts your cause."

"My cause…?" Florina questioned. She had never really thought of it in that context. It seemed a little vicious when put that way, as if Sain were nothing more than a boy toy.

"Florina, it's time we have a talk," Farina said. Her voice was mock-serious. "It's about time I tell you about the Pegasi and the Wyverns." The blood drained out of Florina's face. She attempted to wiggle out of Farina's grasp, but Farina only tightened her hold on her. "You see, Florina, when a man and woman love each other very much-" Florina twisted free. Farina could no longer contain her laughter as she watched the flustered girl run off.

Florina, meanwhile, dashed away. She did want to have _that_ talk with Farina; even if her sister was only joking, she loathed the idea of her even alluding to that fact. She shuddered and rubbed her arms.

"Stew?" a chipper person asked behind her. Florina jumped; this was the second time today! At least, on this occasion, it was not Farina teasing her. Rebecca was standing her, a ladle in one hand and a wooden bowl in the other. "Sorry," she apologized, after noticing Florina's jittery state.

"No…worry." Florina shook her head. "Um…stew would be…great." Rebecca smiled. She spooned a helping of the stew into the bowl and handed it to Florina. After stating her thanks, Florina glanced around for a seat. The cooking fires were popular at this time; she usually waited until later to eat, but since she was here…

Priscilla was sitting next to Raven and Lucius. She sent an anxious glance over her shoulder. Florina followed her gaze, but she could not find exactly whom she was seeking out. Raven was silent, slowly chewing the tough stringy meat in the thin broth, and Lucius was speaking softly.

Florina walked over to Priscilla. "D-do you mind?" She gestured to the bare spot next to Priscilla.

"Of course not, Florina." She smiled at her warmly. Florina kneeled down on her knees. She took a bite full of potato chunks and carrot bits before speaking again.

"I-I want to apologize for Sain's behavior earlier," she said. "He was acting unusually rude."

"Don't," Priscilla said as she shook her head. "I think I know why he's avoiding me." Her eyes wandered down dejectedly to her own bowl, half empty and cold.

"Why?" Florina pressed. Suddenly, she realized she had said it sort of forcefully, and she retreated. Taking a strand of red hair between her fingers, Priscilla sighed.

"He seems to be the root of my problems these days," she murmured. It was so quiet that Florina had to lean in to hear it. Obviously, she had said it so that only Florina could hear her. Her emerald eyes picked up again and washed over the premises of the cooking fires.

"What problems?" Priscilla slanted forward to whisper in her ear that she wanted to talk in a more private area. Florina nodded and picked herself up from the ground. The two girls departed from the area. Raven looked after them at their sudden departure, but other than that, no one cared or detected their leave.

Priscilla led Florina to a small grove of trees where only a handful of tents were clustered. Even here, in this solitude, her voice was hushed, and Florina had to string together the words themselves in order to realize what exactly she was saying.

"I'm not really the person that opens up to others," Priscilla began, wringing her hands. "But…I don't know how to deal with it."

"With what exactly?"

"I think…I'm in love." As Priscilla said the words, Florina thought she was going to faint. She knew it was coming all along, but the impact hit even harder than she could have ever expected. She gulped but forced an understanding countenance.

"With who?" Florina mentally slapped herself. Wasn't it obvious?

"Isn't it obvious?" Priscilla seemed at once anxious and a tad relieved. Of course, it was Sain. He was the source of her "troubles" after all.

"Well, y-yeah," Florina saved herself. "B-but maybe…if you say his name, it will help you deal with it." She seemed very satisfied with this answer, but before Priscilla could respond to it, another nagging question came to mind. "Why is this such a bad thing?"

"Because, I am in love with a man below my rank," she explained mournfully. "A man I will have to let go forever when the war ends…if he survives when the war ends! And if he doesn't, I feel I'll die too. I don't even know for sure if he loves me back…I'm a bit inexperienced in this arena. I was going to talk to Sain to help deal with it, but he keeps avoiding me! I know he has something to do with it-"

'Naturally,' Florina reasoned in her mind, but she said nothing as Priscilla continued.

"And I thought that since you're such close friends with him, perhaps you would know about- oh, of course you about it!" Priscilla's hands flew to her head, and she rubbed her temples. She was discernibly distressed by this matter. "I think…part of me is scared. Scared of what might happen, scared of what won't happen." She gave a despondent smile to Florina. "Do I make any sense?"

"Yeah, of course." Florina placed a comforting hand on Priscilla's shoulder. "But what exactly do you think I know?" This, Florina was absolutely dying to find out. Was she talking about if Sain loved her? According to Farina, there was doubt to that. Perhaps she was referring to flowers Sain gave her. He did give Priscilla flowers, right? Yes, yes, she remembered seeing them tucked behind Priscilla's ear that one day.

"Well, it started when-"

"Florina!" Kent called across the area. He was briskly walking towards her with his long strides. "Good thing I stumbled upon you. Fiora was looking for you; she has something she needs to speak to you about." Florina felt like taking her lance and plunging it through Kent. Of course, her lance was now shards on the bloodied earth, and she had yet to get a new one. True, Priscilla's statement would be painful to Florina, but it would help her see through the enigma that Sain was quickly becoming.

"Um, of course. Tell her I'll meet her back at our tent." Kent nodded and left them. "Sorry," Florina apologized. "Can you just quickly tell me?"

"It's a long story," Priscilla said disappointedly. Florina turned to leave, but Priscilla clung on to her arm. "Just promise me that I can speak with you later. This might sound silly, but you're the only person I can think of that can help me with this." Florina assured her that she would before trudging back to see Fiora.

Well, this was a strange development. She was helping Sain woo Priscilla, while at the same time, she would now be aiding Priscilla in dealing with _her_ feelings for Sain. A slightly annoyed sigh left her lips. Since when did she become the prime love advisor for the army? She could barely deal with her own love issues.

Florina pushed through their tent. Fiora was already there, smiling. For some reason, Florina did not feel like smiling. She gestured to herself.

"I'm here," she announced irritably. Fiora patted down on the bedroll next to her.

"We need to speak."

"I know," Florina said, sitting down where Fiora had motioned to. "I just don't know why."

"We need to have a talk about you and Sain and your relationship," Fiora pronounced each word slowly and carefully. Florina's eyes widened. Not again! And she was sure Fiora was not kidding about having _the_ talk. But of course, Fiora was not certain just where their relationship was; as it stood, they were still at that cursed friend stage.

"W-what about it?" Florina summoned up the courage to say.

"Well, Kent has been confiding in me lately about some things Sain has been doing, and I have realized that your relationship is more serious than I thought and more than you have been letting on to."

"Let me guess…you don't approve of him," Florina tried meekly. Fiora shook her head.

"I wouldn't have if Kent did not tell that since you two starting spending time together— for some unknown reason— that Sain has ceased flirting with other women. Whenever he hears your name, he instantly starts talking about you. I've known it for a while, but I wanted to talk to you so that I could get comfortable with that fact that maybe my little dear Florina has finally overcome her fear and found a man for herself."

At this moment, Florina's heart was racing. Her cheeks felt warm, and her mind tried to comprehend this all. Farina was right! Kent would never lie about this to Fiora, and Fiora would certainly never toy with Florina this way. But it still left so many unanswered questions.

"Florina, just tell me that you love him and that you believe he's a good man."

"L-l-love him?" Her heart thudded even wilder. "B-but how do I-I know it's not a simple c-crush?" Fiora's face dropped as she recognized where those words were coming from. She tilted Florina's face up so that she was forced to stare into Fiora's icy blue eyes.

"Don't you ever listen to that woman said," she cautioned her. "Sweet Elimine, I realize how awful it must've been for you. After Farina left, you were alone with that horrid woman." She pushed Florina close to her in a warm, sisterly embrace.

"She's our mother, though," Florina pointed out. Fiora sighed.

"And _he_ was our father. Are you going to defend him?" Florina was silent, knowing Fiora was right. "I thought so." She held Florina now at arm's length. "I don't know just what is going on exactly between you and Sain; only you and Sain really know if it'll work out, if you're truly in love."

"Perhaps he doesn't love me." There was still the Priscilla factor, even if all evidence led to believe Sain had fallen for her.

"What is making you doubt this?" It was a true question from Fiora. Florina could understand; Fiora had been left in the dark about most of their relationship.

"It's…complicated," Florina told her. "But… I feel like I need to figure it out on my own." She stood suddenly, disentangling herself from Fiora. "I went to Farina-"

"You what!" Fiora exclaimed sharply. "I don't know whether I should be horrified or insulted that you went to Farina instead of coming to me."

"Well, I know now that didn't turn out so great for me," Florina redeemed herself. "She…just seemed like she knew more about relationships, and I had no idea what to do. I've never had a crush before; I've never had to deal with men like this-" Her voice cracked, and Florina looked away with a distressed sigh. Fiora joined her standing up and enveloped her into another hug.

"You may not realize this, Florina, but Farina is just as scared of a committed relationship as any of us. She had to go through the same childhood with the same parents. She just hides it." Fiora's fingers weaved through Florina's hair. "We're terrified that we'll fall in love, have our hearts broken and be left in a desperate situation. Until I met Kent, I was sure there was no one that would truly understand. I couldn't trust any one man."

"Do you love Kent?" Florina knew the answer, but she wanted Fiora to say it, as if her older, much admired sister's words would bring comfort to her own situation.

"As much as I hate being called a hypocrite, I have fallen in love with him during a war, when I should be focused on my duty. But that's how love is. You can't control when you fall in love." Her head bent down to kiss Florina's forehead. Florina broke away.

"I have to go talk to Sain," Florina murmured.

"It's getting late," Fiora advised her. "Go in the morning when you're sensible again." Florina nodded, slipped down onto her bedroll, and squeezed her eyes shut, praying sleep would come easily.

****The next morning, Florina woke up. Her eyes were still heavy with exhaustion, and she stretched her limbs out to relieve the stiffness. The tent was empty. Fiora had already left and packed up her bedroll.

Florina dressed and left the tent. The morning was hazy; gray clouds hung low over the encampment. She could not tell what time it was exactly, but no one was wandering the camp. It seemed lonely and deserted. In fact, it was almost eerie.

Florina shook it off. She paused for a moment to gather her bearings. The conversation with Fiora wandered back into her mind. She had to speak with Sain, once and for all. At the thought of it, she became anxious, but she had no choice. Her feet seemed to carry themselves until she arrived right in front of his tent.

This time, she would forget to announce herself. Softly, so that she would not draw attention from another tents, she called out, "S-Sain, are you there?"

There was no reply, only heavy silence. She tried again, with similar results. Sighing in defeat, she turned to leave.

"Florina?" She turned around. There Sain was, poking his head out of his tent. His hair was tousled, and his eyes looked droopy. She smiled sheepishly.

"S-sorry for waking you," she murmured. Sain grinned at her brightly.

"No problem," he said, pushing aside the flap so that she could enter. "I needed to talk to you anyways." Florina's heart thumped.

"So did I! I mean, talk to you." Sain ushered her in. He quickly straightened his bedroll and invited her to sit next to him on it. She took the seat cautiously. He was busy tying his hair back.

"You don't have to do that," she stopped him by slipping the band out of his hand. "I thought you looked better without it." Sain grinned down at her.

"Well, if my lady so desires," he said. Their hands were side-by-side. He slipped his into hers. "So, where do we start?" Florina shrugged.

"I don't really know," she admitted.

"So how about with this," he began. Florina's eyes widened. "I love you, Florina. I'm madly in love with you, and I won't be able to shake off these feelings." Breathing suddenly became a hassle for Florina; her heart seemed to freeze in her ribcage. "You do love me back, don't you?" Florina choked back a mumbled reply; she was not sure if it was yes or no.

Apparently, it was a good response. Sain leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

…

…

…

And then she woke up.

Dreams are such fickle things after all.

----

Author's Note: laughs evilly Oh, I am so evil. So very, very evil indeed. But I'm prepared. I've got my bullet proof vest, helmet, shin guards, gloves, and boots. (They're also flame resistant). Bring it on!

This chapter was fun. I do need to write something with a more serious tone now and then. But don't get too hung up on Florina talking to Sain next chapter. You really think I'd make it that easy for her! Nope, but expect a lot to be cleared up next chapter, including the Priscilla factor and Florina's past.

Reviews (even ones stating how evil I am) are greatly appreciated!


	12. Chapter 12

Florina stared at the canvas roof of her tent, her stomach still fluttering from the after effects of her dream. Mentally, she was condemning whatever genius had come up with the idea of dreams. The prospect of talking loomed before her ominously, as well as that chat with Priscilla. What if Sain chose her over Priscilla? Priscilla would be completely heartbroken, and she would blame Florina for it. After all, Florina was well aware of her feelings towards Sain.

Then again, what if Sain chose Priscilla? It was a question she had been asking herself for several weeks now, and the thought suddenly occurred to her that she would find out very soon. She almost dreaded it, in fact.

"Are you getting up any time soon?" Fiora's soothing voice asked her. Florina rolled over to her side in her bedroll to face her sister, who was already awake and dressed. She shook her head, and then burrowed down under her sheet. Fiora sighed. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," came the muffled reply. Taking a firm hold of the blanket, Fiora tugged it away from Florina, but the girl was stubborn and refused to release her hold. In the end, Fiora triumphed as the cover tore off Florina, exposing her once warm body to the cool air.

Fiora tossed Florina's uniform on top of her, and Florina grudgingly changed into it. As she rolled her socks up, Fiora departed from the tent, excusing herself to go take a brisk walk around the camp.

'_Ten gold it's to see Kent,'_ Florina mentally gambled with herself. A doleful exhalation left her lips; she wished that her life could work out to be like Fiora's, as dull and stiff as that path might be.

Florina reached for her belt; she was not eager to put on her boots just yet. Suddenly, a voice called out from just outside the flap of her tent.

"Are you decent?" Sain asked. Florina made a small "yes" sound, and he entered. Heat rose up in Florina's cheeks as she remembered her dream, and she bowed her head, as though to fumble with the buckle of her belt, so that he could not see her blush. Unfortunately for her, Sain noticed this odd behavior and tipped her chin to face him with his finger. "Someone's blushing," he murmured. "Care to share why?"

"N-no," Florina said. Sain smirked, and his finger withdrew from her face.

"We need to have a little chat, Florina, just me and you," he spoke. Florina nodded.

"I know."

A heavy silence took over. Sain opened his mouth once to speak, but no words came out except for a subdued curse as he averted his eyes away from hers. Florina, meanwhile, flushed a vibrant cerise. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and her throat felt dry. Though she searched for words to say, her mind wiped itself clean.

"Florina," Sain spoke with renewed confidence. His eyes met hers; his hand laced itself in her fingers. He took a step closer to her, opened his mouth-

"Florina!" Priscilla called from outside the tent flap. Florina squeezed her eyes shut in frustration, and she almost felt like cursing. Priscilla was a sweetheart and all, but at this moment, Florina really wanted to kill her.

"Yes?" she called back. Sain stared at her with a bemused expression, and he released his grip on her hands.

"Um, I was wondering if we could talk now," Priscilla asked.

"Uh, sure," Florina said. "Hold on, a second. Let me get dressed." She lied so Priscilla would not come in and see Sain with her so early in the morning. Florina was sure that Priscilla was unaware of his presence in the room at that moment. Sain leaned over to whisper in her ear; Florina felt her cheeks grow warmer as he was so very close.

"You've been talking with Priscilla?" he murmured. "About what?"

"Nothing yet," Florina muttered back. "She seems troubled and asked me for advice. Not totally unlike you." Sain drew back and made a gesture to usher her out of the tent.

"Well, I shouldn't keep you then."

Florina sighed, pulled on her boots quickly, and ducked out. Outside, Priscilla was playing with the feather in her hair, and a smile grew on her face upon seeing Florina. The two girls walked side by side to the same grove they met the previous night. Florina settled herself at the base of the tree, with her back leaning against the trunk, while Priscilla kneeled in front of her on a bed of dead leaves.

The smile still adorned Priscilla's face as they sat. It was not the mournful or obligatory grin that usually bestowed her face but a truly pleasant beam. Florina noticed that she was hiding something in her rolled fists, and when Priscilla realized her interest, she uncurled her fingers to reveal a beaded necklace.

"Looks Sacaen," Florina noted, taking it in her hands and letting her fingers rove over the rough wooden orbs strung on it. Each was painted a different shade of green; some had faces or flowers inscribed on them.

"Of course it is," Priscilla said. Florina dropped the necklace back in her palm, and Priscilla slipped it around her neck. "He gave it to me this morning. Said that green looked pretty on me." A soft giggle escaped her lips. "He seemed so nervous, but it was cute too." Her cheeks reddened.

"Nervous?" Since when was Sain nervous around a girl?

"You know how guy can be," Priscilla said.

"Yeah, men. So boastful and manly one minute, flustered the next," Florina murmured.

"But then again, you don't know him too well, do you?" Priscilla said. "I've never seen you talk to him." Florina did a double take. Her eyes widened in incredulity, and her mouth fell open.

"You haven't?"

Priscilla missed the astonishment in Florina's voice as she simply shook her head. "No. When was the last time you spoke with Guy?"

Florina choked on the very air she was breathing. Her eyes bulged, and her mouth fell open in pure shock.

"G-Guy?" she sputtered out. "Guy's the o-one you've been talking about?"

"Yes, I thought you knew."

At first, Florina was not quite sure of how she should act. Some sort of strange sensation was rising up in her chest. The best way Florina could describe it was a blend of shock, relief, and confusion. So, Florina just keeled over and burst out laughing.

She fell to the side, releasing uncontrollable giggles. Her mirth caused her eyes to water at the corners, and her cheeks turned bright red. Lungs burned for oxygen, and eventually, she had to press her lips closed to contain the laughing.

"Sorry," she gasped. Priscilla's countenance was screwed in a half-hurt, half-befuddlement. "I was led to b-believe…you and S-Sain…" Another chuckle escaped her.

"What? Who told you that?" Priscilla could not help but share a giggle herself at the notion. "But everyone knows he has eyes for you." Once, that would have embarrassed Florina, put a flush on her cheeks, and sink her stomach, but now, the words came as a relief, and she grinned broadly at Priscilla.

"Anyways," said Priscilla. "I've have this suspicion that Sain has been helping Guy try to impress me, and that you would know because you're so close to Sain that he would've told you something."

"How do you know that Sain was teaching Guy?"

"Well, some of the moves seemed a bit…bold for Guy. I mean, he's sweet but shy too. I've seen him speaking with Sain on several occasions, and they always stop their conversation when I come near."

"Out of curiosity, what kind of moves were these?" Florina had an inkling just what they were, but she needed confirmation.

"He gave me some beautiful flowers one time-"

"I knew it!" Florina said. "The stuff I've been telling Sain, he's just been passing onto Guy." She went on to tell Priscilla about their deal and the events since. Priscilla listened intently with an occasional giggle. "But why would he lie to me about the flowers?" Florina ended with.

Priscilla placed her hand on top of Florina's. "Maybe because he put them there on impulse. It doesn't seem unlikely with him. Afterwards, he probably feared your reaction, thinking you'd get scared off, like you usually do, and then he'd never be able to build a meaningful relationship with you."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"But you should ask him for yourself. You two have a lot to sort out."

The chatted for a while afterwards. Priscilla expressed her anxieties over her relationship with Guy; Florina told of her initial doubts about Sain. Lazing about there, Priscilla asked her the question she dreaded with Sain, the question she seemed incapable of answering.

"Why are you so scared of men?" Florina's face-once giddy- froze into a frightened mask; fear of her past wafted back into her. Noticing this change, Priscilla apologized. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, no, it's alright." She stood up hastily to leave. "But I better get going."

Priscilla made no attempt to try to stop her. Visibly, Florina was disturbed. Her eyes glazed over with a glossy sheen, a barrier of tears she dared not to release. Her lips quivered, then settled into a frown, pouted with the skeletons of her past. In the distance, a tom-tom sounded in an erratic beat, followed by a crash. Once more, she was plunged into the netherworld of her childhood.

She was bystander in this play. A little girl trembled on the bed, and Florina recognized it as her younger self. How old was she in this picture? Seven, eight, nine years old? And yet she looked so small and vulnerable. Her frame never grew much, always a small child. Farina appeared to be in her preteen years, and Fiora had only just returned from her first year at the academy.

Fiora knelt by the door, twisting the key in the lock and backing away from the door. On the other side, a loud bang resounded, and all three of them shuddered.

"Don't worry," Fiora said. "It's locked. He'll have to break it down to get to us." She rushed over to the bed where Florina sat and wrapped her arms around the trembling child. "Sh, don't worry. They'll make-up again." A lie had just been told, the 'again' the largest part of it. They never made up, and so the fights just grew more and more violent.

"Damn him," said Farina, causing Fiora to snap her head over and glower at her.

"Don't say that!" she said.

"Damnity, damnity damn. I don't care. He hurts mother, and he hurts us too." As to prove her point, Farina rolled up her sleeve and pointed a bluish-black bruise on her upper arm. Florina trembled on the bed, shaking violently. Older Florina wanted to run to her younger self and console her. "Then he boasts to his friends; you've heard him, I've heard him. Men are monsters, and they don't deserve any of it. I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!" Farina screamed at the foot, her voice growing louder and louder. Florina broke into a fresh cascade of tears, and Fiora held on tighter to her.

The commotion downstairs ceased. A sudden silence met them, and none of them dared to make a sound. Even Farina halted her cries of spite. Footsteps made their way up the stairs, heavy ones too. The doorknob jiggled.

"Open up," he demanded. "I said open up, you little wenches!" Farina backed away from the door and joined her sisters on the bed. The three of them supported each other as his heavy fists pounded on the door. The lock was weak and old; they all knew that it was only a matter of time before he kicked the door down.

Fiora slid off the bed and attempted to open the window. It led out to the roof. She figured they could climb down the lattice and escape for good, but to her dismay, she found that the window was frozen shut. They were trapped.

"I'll kill you, you wretched beasts. I'll snap your necks and-" The door flew open, and there, in the door way, stood the imposing, shadowy man of her past. His fists curled as he lumbered in. Both Florina and Farina screamed. Even specter Florina gasped and inched away. His hands reached for young Florina, fingers outstretched towards her neck-

"Florina," a deep masculine voice said, and she shrieked. Suddenly, she realized where she was, no longer trapped in the confines of her mind. She stood in front of Sain's tent, and he stared worriedly down at her. "Are you alright?" He brought Florina's face to look up at him; her mournful eyes reflected in his. His arms enfolded her quivering figure.

Florina slipped her arms around him, laid her head on his chest, and cried.

----

Author's Note: Ta da! For all of you who acted on your threats, you put me the hospital and delayed this chapter. See? Threatening/Hurting Lemurian-Girl is bad, very baaaaad. XD Reviews are loved!


	13. Chapter 13

Florina had wanted to stay in Sain's arms forever, long after her tears had dried; she liked having his warmth envelope her and his strength support her. After dragging her into his tent, Sain just held her. His voice in her ear soothed her, consoled her, lulled her. Only a few minutes passed, and yet it seemed all of eternity could pass by her and she would not care.

Parting with his warmth was difficult, but the shouts outside called for a speedy dismantling of the camp and an immediate departure. Sain took his time letting go of Florina; his fingers still held hers in their tentative grasp.

"Will you be all right?" he asked her, and she nodded. His eyes, always so joyful and glistening with mischief, now dimmed with concern for her. She did not like that she could make him so worried, but the thought also brought a sort of comfort to her, knowing that she had someone who truly cared.

Sain leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. Florina felt something tingle, then sink down through her stomach and her legs, pinning her feet to the ground. She almost did not feel him let go of her as he prepared to take down his tent, but when she did, she moved to help him.

"Go on and saddle Huey," he told her. "I'll be fine here."

Florina shook her head. "I want to help you, like you helped me."

Something passed through Sain's eyes that moment, something Florina did not recognize. It softened his gaze and caused her to tremble.

"Sain!" The moment fled them. They knew that voice. Kent.

"Look busy," Sain said before they split into two different tasks. Florina took to furling the bedroll, and Sain started throwing his belongings haphazardly into his bag. When Kent burst into the tent, he saw them frantically moving.

"Oh Kent!" Sain exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be taking down your own tent."

"Two things," Kent said. "First, Florina, your sister was looking for you. I suggest you hurry."

Florina nodded. "Yes. Thank you. Bye Kent. Sain."

"Till we see each other again, Flora," Sain said, and Florina could feel him watching her as she left the tent. Upon thinking of their closeness, Florina shivered, wondering why it had to end like that.

Till they saw each other again. Florina knew he had something special in store for her.

And the anticipation was killing her.

----

"So what was the furor about again?" Farina asked, slumped forward on her Pegasus. Florina rode next to her as they both let their mounts rest their wings. Matthew hiked in front of them, hands constantly on resting on the hilts of his daggers.

"False alarm," Matthew told them.

"How do you know?" This time the question was Florina's.

"Because if you listen very carefully, you can hear Lord Hector cursing about it at the head of the march," Matthew answered in the sly way he did.

Farina sighed, wrapping her reins around one wrist while stroking Murphy's mane. "We're moving at a snail's pace. I'm so bored." She slumped forward, hand firmly tangled in white hair with her head against Murphy's neck. "This really blows."

Matthew held up a hand to silence them. "Listen…ah, there's my young master again. And we're lost. And only Hector can say it so colorfully." Farina groaned audibly.

Lowen, trotting next to Matthew, gave a look that Florina could only assume was disbelief at Matthew's abilities, but when it came to Lowen, discerning any sort of emotion from behind the rug of hair was nearly impossible.

"Are you sure?" Lowen asked him. "I can't hear anything."

"Because you're a knight and I'm a spy," Matthew reminded him. "I'd be a pretty lousy spy if I were deaf."

Florina gathered Huey's reins in both hands and yanked him out the line. "I'm going to volunteer to scout out the area. Perhaps I can figure out where we are." Urging a word into Huey's ear, Florina hovered above the ground for a moment before skidding to the head of the line. As she neared the lords, she could begin to make out his bellows.

Matthew was right; he did have a colorful vocabulary.

"Lord Hector," Florina called as she directed Huey to a grounded gait again. "Do you want me to scout the area?"

"What for? We have Rath and Rebecca on scout duty." Hector lowered his voice to speak with her, but from its rough edge, she could tell he was still vexed.

"But aren't we lost?" The words came out before she could properly process them. She watched as Hector's face turned red; Eliwood hid his laugh behind a hand.

"We're not lost," Hector said firmly.

A flush of embarrassment swept over Florina. "Oh," she murmured, "her voice low. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Florina," Eliwood cut in with a kind smile, "it would be greatly appreciated."

The embarrassment subsiding, Florina nodded and dug her heels into Huey's flank. As she rose into the air, she realized that Sain was marching behind the lords. Catching his eye, she smiled and blushed; he grinned back, a knowing glint in his eye.

----

Lyn approached Florina at camp that night, and they took a walk together, trying to relive old times. The dinner calls had already rung, and most had eaten, now retreating to tents for sleep or a round of cards.

"Thank you so much Florina for helping us earlier," Lyn said after a lull broke between them. "Hector won't admit it, but you helped us quite a bit."

"It was no problem," Florina insisted. "Just doing my part."

Lyn let go a deep breath into the crisp air. "I've been so busy lately we haven't had much of a chance to talk."

Florina giggled. "I know. It's like you're stranger now."

Lyn shook her head. "No, it's like you're a stranger. You're so confident these days. And happy." A thin smile grew on Lyn's lips. "And I bet I know why."

"Why?" Florina wanted to know.

"I think it has something to do with a certain paladin." Lyn watched Florina's reaction, but the flustered mess she expected never surfaced.

"Maybe," Florina said with a coy grin.

Lyn laughed. "Well regardless, you two will have plenty of time together tonight now that Mark has assigned you both to guard duty tonight."

Florina groaned. "What? Tonight?"

"You didn't know?" Lyn sounded skeptical. "According to him you haven't served night duty for a few weeks now, and Sain keeps skipping his turns." Lyn nudged Florina. "Perhaps, he thought that if he assigned you two together, Sain would actually do his duty for once." Waiting, she added, "as a perk." Now Florina blushed. Even if Lyn was joking, if their relationship had influenced Mark's decisions, then she knew that the entire camp already had their suspicions.

"Uh, well, I suppose I ought to report to Mark then," Florina said.

"All right, but on tomorrow's march, I want you by my side," Lyn said before they separated.

Florina retrieved her armor and lance before proceeding to Mark's tent, which was a mess of maps and papers. Florina danced around the disorder, approaching the scrawny tactician. Absorbed in one of his maps, he had not realized Florina's presence until she delicately tapped his shoulder.

Mark jumped, and when he landed, he nearly slipped on a sheet of parchment. Spinning around and breathing heavily, Mark saw Florina and began to relax.

"Sorry for scaring you," Florina meekly apologized. "I'm here to report for guard duty."

Mark nodded, reaching for a leather-bound book with bits of twine poking out of the top. Opening it to the marked place, he pointed to a small box headed by the date. "Sign there so I have it for the records." Florina picked up his quill and signed her name in the box using her dainty signature. Mark, meanwhile, glanced over her shoulder at the second visitor.

"Ah, Sain." He waved over the paladin. Florina perked at the name and handed Sain the quill with a smile. His eyes bore into hers; he seemed just as happy to see her.

"Flora," he said, "what a surprise. We'll be serving out our sentences together."

Mark was quick to correct him. "Not technically together. You'll both have different posts to watch over."

Before Sain could scribble his name in the book, Farina and Dorcas entered. Farina smirked at Florina.

"Hey sis. You and Sain are doing duty tonight eh?" Farina edged towards Florina as she waited for her turn with the quill. "Just so happens I volunteered myself tonight. We can have a little guard party."

"No," Mark jumped in, "No, you can't. You'll all be at different posts." Sain handed Dorcas the pen and slung an arm around Florina's shoulders. Neither he nor Florina was listening as Mark continued, choosing instead to watch one another. "Sain will take the north post, Florina the east. Farina, you have south, and Dorcas will take the west."

"Sounds good," Sain said once he noticed Mark had finished speaking. "Well then, Florina, allow me to escort you to your post." He led her out of the tent.

They had not walked three steps away when Farina burst from the tent flap. She pried herself between them and ignored their murderous visages, slipping her arms around each of their shoulders.

"Well, then, this will be fun, the three of us, no matter what a party spoiler Mark is," she said. Noticing Florina and Sain's suddenly irate expressions, she twittered innocently, "Oh don't mind me. You two can still spend time together." When her statement failed to placate them, she released them. "Oh fine, go off and leave me alone, why don't you."

Sain returned to his former position with Florina, leaning to whisper in her ear, "what are the chances she's going to follow us?"

"Pretty high," Florina staked. "You're talking about a girl who camped outside of Kent's tent for several nights, hoping to see him make a move on Fiora."

Sain veered left. "We'll just have to go somewhere where she won't find us." His hand now lost in Florina's orchid strands, he added, "and I know just where."

Florina was more than glad just to follow him, taking dizzying turns throughout the camp to throw Farina off, giving them a good laugh as well. As they approached the outskirts of camp, Florina saw Dorcas, axe in hand, parading the perimeter.

"Dorcas!" Sain called out. Dorcas turned his head and acknowledged their presence. "Do you mind watching the east post for Florina tonight? It's dark, and there are a lot of trees there, and it would make it very easy for her to be overwhelmed should someone attack." By the way he raised his eyebrow, they both knew that Dorcas did not buy it, but he nodded anyways.

As he passed Sain, he whispered, "I was young and in love once too." Sain gaped at him as he walked away, not expecting that statement to leave the normally stoic man's mouth, and Florina had to laugh at the goofy expression.

"Are you laughing at me?" Sain asked, feigning hurt. "Well, that's not very nice. I get rid of your sister, and look how you treat me."

"I'll make up for it somehow," Florina said.

Sain leaned close. "Oh Florina, you are shameless." She swiped him away playfully. "Well, now that we're alone, I think you and me need to have a little talk." Florina braced herself for it; she had known it was coming for a long time now, the time to share with Sain her past, their future, and everything in between. "About our deal, actually." What? Their deal? He wanted to talk about the deal?

"Oh, sure. What is it?" She tried to conceal the surprise in her voice.

"Well, I was watching you with Lord Hector and then with Mark," Sain said, "and I just noticed your fear is gone. You speak with such ease around men. Which means," he paused for a moment before saying, "I've fulfilled my side of the bargain."

Florina nodded. "You have. You're right. And I'm very thankful for it, Sain." She found her hand slipping into his. His fingers curled around hers, his heat seeping in her skin; it all felt good and, most importantly, it felt right.

"But," Sain added, and it was a very ominous but, "something is still distressing me." He left her hand cold and alone in the air, taking a step away to create distance between them. The distance to Florina, though, felt like a cold, stinging void; she enjoyed Sain's warmth. "You see, Florina, I have yet to woo a woman." He turned his body away from her.

The first response that came to Florina's mind was '_are you serious?_' But she did not say it, nor did she try to correct him. Instead, her voice came out in her trademark awkward squawk, "what?"

He had to be joking. Sain would joke about this, right?

"You can see the problem," Sain said, completely serious, but he still refused to face her. "You were supposed to help me woo a woman, yet my lady love has yet to join my side." To prove him wrong, Florina stepped beside him.

"You did woo a girl," Florina told him.

Sain looked down. "Oh really?" Florina nodded. "Prove it."

It was fire that sparked in his eyes; Florina saw it clearly. He was challenging her, and she knew it. Turning Sain around so that he faced her, Florina returned the challenge. Inside, she was quivering, but her exterior remained steadfast.

"All right," she spoke, her voice lowering. "I'll prove it to you."

Had she put any thought into her next move, she would not have done it. It was too brash, too sudden, too risky for unsure, little Florina. But Florina did not think, and she let herself be swept away with her action.

Slowly, Florina stood on her tiptoes and met Sain's lips with her own.

Almost instantly, Sain's arm was around her waist and his mouth pressed to hers, deepening the kiss. Oh, this was exactly what Sain had wanted. Electricity jolted Florina as they stood, entwined in each other's embraces, radiating in each other's love.

When they pulled away, Florina felt almost woozy. She leaned her head against Sain's chest.

Voice husky, Sain spoke first, "how was that for a first kiss, my Ilian Rose?"

"I don't know," she said. "Perhaps I need another to really know."

As their faces neared once more, Sain's words tickled her warm cheeks. "Ah but you can only have one first kiss." He did not wait for her reply before sweeping her up into another passionate kiss.

They parted again, staring deeply in one another's eyes. It seemed so ideal, so enchanted, so romantic.

"Aha! I never guessed you would be kissed before Fiora."

Damnit. Farina!

----

Author's Note: You really can't blame me for procrastination. I had written this chapter at least four times before coming up with something that I liked. And I figure that you either love or hate the ending. I was going to add something after the last line, but it felt painfully extraneous so I didn't. I kinda like it the way it is. And I was considering writing the scene where Florina tells Sain about her past, but I didn't for a few reasons. Every time I tried, it didn't work, and I'm not very good at emotional, weepy scenes.

So there you go, after a very loooong delay, I finished The Deal. It feels rather good, for as much as I loved writing it, it is complete at last. Thank you for reading. Your reviews always made me smile and keep at it. And as always, reviews are loved.

Lemurian-Girl


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